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‘There’s a risk of another Liz Truss moment’: City raises spectre of bond market meltdown again

Keir Starmer](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/keir-starmer) faces a potential leadership challenge, the spectre of the bond market looms large. Amid febrile conditions in Westminster, the prospect of Britain switching prime ministers for a sixth time

‘Leader of the pack’: What next as Reform makes huge election gains?

Keir Starmer. While many results from Thursday’s municipal poll in England have yet to be declared, the populist right-wing Reform UK party have [made sweeping gains](/news/2026/5/8/uks-labour-set-for-heavy-losses-in-elections-as-reform-makes-early-gains) at the expense of Labour, which

Chris Mason: PM confronts his most difficult day as party revolts

party and the country of a protracted leadership contest, which will deliver a successor with a "very questionable mandate" as one friend put it. In other words, unlike Sir Keir, his successor on taking office

UK’s Labour set for heavy losses in elections as Reform makes early gains

Keir Starmer’s Labour Party is bracing for [heavy defeats in local elections](/news/2026/5/7/uk-voters-head-to-the-polls-in-local-elections), with Reform UK poised to make gains across the country, according to early results. Labour’s woes were already evident

Another crunch moment for Starmer as he pleads with Labour MPs not to topple him

Keir Starmer to try to calm down a party that is hurting and anxious. Many Labour MPs have spent the weekend observing the politically scorched earth around them locally – their friends and colleagues in local

Phillipson: challenge to Starmer would be wrong despite election ‘kicking’

Keir Starmer, even though voters have given the party a “real kicking” at the ballot box and people feel “bitterly let down”, the education secretary, [Bridget Phillipson](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/bridget-phillipson), has said. Phillipson said [Labour

‘No other plan comes close’: Labour MPs turn to Burnham as pressure mounts on Starmer

leadership election.” They said Starmer had a “great legacy” and had brought the party back together after the fractious Jeremy Corbyn years: “He’s got the chance now to bring the party back together again

Rushed social media ban for under-16s in UK could ‘unravel’, charity warns

Keir Starmer prioritises short-term announcements over what the evidence and experts say is needed, children and parents will be left to count the cost and child protection will take a step back.” The Times

‘They lost a historic opportunity’: Ken Loach laments Your Party infighting

parties had increasingly adopted rhetoric once associated with the far right. “The Conservative leadership uses the same language as Nigel Farage, and the Labour right responds to that,” he said. “The people who have nothing

Polls open in historic byelection in Makerfield that could determine Keir Starmer’s future – UK politics live

Starmer stands aside, rather than a leadership contest, which they believe would be damaging to the Labour party’s brand, according to the Times. But the prime minister has repeatedly made it clear

Wednesday briefing: How much longer can Keir Starmer cling to power?

Keir Starmer is fighting for his political life as the crescendo of calls for him to step down – or set out an exit plan, at least – grows louder. But despite the noisy opposition

Streeting calls for equal tax on income and capital gains in Labour leadership pitch

Keir Starmer to stand down, warned in his resignation [speech on Wednesday that Labour must change course or risk handing Reform UK power](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/20/wes-streeting-first-speech-resignation-labour-must-be-bolder-or-lose). He said that while he had the support

Potential leadership challengers jostle for positions as PM's allies warn of 'chaos'

Keir Starmer to now be imminent, but with his rivals briefing that he has struggled to get the numbers of backers he requires. Then the interviews the former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has done

Labour’s disastrous night puts focus on Keir Starmer’s future as leader

Keir Starmer’s resignation – results overnight mean it may yet do so in the coming days. Five years ago, Labour crashed to [a humiliating defeat](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/may/07/hartlepool-byelection-result-labour-starmer-conservatives) in a byelection for the city

Labour must be bolder or it will lose, says Wes Streeting

Keir Starmer to quit as prime minister. It had been expected he would launch a formal leadership challenge, but he seemingly failed to get the necessary support from 80-plus Labour MPs. In his contribution

Starmer expected to announce exit plan that will clear way for Burnham to become PM

Keir Starmer is expected to announce a timetable for his departure on Monday morning, clearing the way for [Andy Burnham](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/andyburnham) to become prime minister without a formal contest by the autumn. Cabinet

Starmer can survive a leadership challenge, says attorney general

Starmer can prove his critics wrong and survive a leadership challenge, his friend Lord Hermer has told the BBC. In his first interview with [BBC Radio 4's Political Thinking](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04z203l), the attorney

Keir Starmer to step down as prime minister two years after historic election victory

Keir Starmer has announced he will stand down as prime minister after days of intense pressure from Labour MPs, including cabinet ministers, following the return of Andy Burnham to Westminster. Less than two years after

Starmer tells cabinet he will not quit without leadership challenge

Keir Starmer has told his cabinet he will not resign as prime minister, saying the threshold for a leadership challenge has not been met. In comments that effectively dared the health secretary, Wes Streeting

Winners, losers and a PM on the brink - what to expect in next week's elections

leadership race. But there is no ignoring the fact that a woeful set of results for Labour would put the prime minister's wobbly future in even more doubt. The party is "dark and desperate