Who is Catherine West, the Labour MP challenging Starmer?
Former minister to gather names to support motion for PM to set out September timetable for Labour leadership election
Former minister Catherine West has said she is gathering the names of Labour MPs to call on Sir Keir Starmer to set a timetable for the election of a new leader in September.
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The MP had previously said she would consider a challenge to Sir Keir for the party leadership herself if there was not a Cabinet member who was willing to run.
Having waited for the prime minister to give a speech on Monday, she concluded it was “good, but doesn’t outweigh the results from last Thursday”.
With Sir Keir having committed to continuing as prime minister, there will not be an internal election unless he is forced out of his post by members.
In a statement, Ms West said: “I have listened to the Prime Minister’s speech this morning. I welcome the renewed energy and ideas. However, I have reluctantly concluded that this morning’s speech was too little too late.
“The results last Thursday show that the PM has failed to inspire hope. What is best for the party and country now is for an orderly transition.”
Here is what there is to know about Ms West and what happens next?
Why is Catherine West looking to challenge Sir Keir Starmer?
Speculation about the Prime Minister’s future has surged since Thursday’s local elections that saw Labour lose almost 1,500 English councillors, go backwards in Scotland and slump to third in Wales.
The electoral mauling has prompted a succession of Labour MPs to call for the Prime Minister to step down, or set out a timetable for his departure.
In a speech in central London on Monday, Sir Keir said he took “responsibility” for the losses but insisted he would fight on.
Ms West said she thought Sir Keir’s speech had been “heartfelt”, but it did not “change the mathematics of how many seats we lost on Thursday”.
North Northumberland MP David Smith, who has been the UK’s special envoy for freedom of religion or belief since 2024, added that Labour owed “a debt of gratitude” to Sir Keir but could not “carry on with the approach we have taken” since the general election.
Ms West has said she will stand if nobody from the Cabinet comes forward. At the time of writing, there had not been any members who had put themselves forward.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has dismissed Labour’s “pretenders jostling for his job”, saying: “They are busy arguing over who should drive the car, but the truth is they are all heading in the wrong direction. They have no vision for the future.”