Health secretary Wes Streeting , who is widely seen as a leadership hopeful, is set to meet with Keir Starmer on Tuesday as four ministers quit amid calls for the prime minister’s resignation.
It marks another day of turmoil for the Labour leader ahead of King Charles’ speech at the ceremonial state opening of Parliament on Wednesday.
Buckingham Palace is reported to have told Sir Keir’s officials that the monarch does not want to be dragged into the Labour leadership crisis.
Jess Phillips, Alex Davies-Jones, junior minister Miatta Fahnbulleh and Health Minister Zubir Ahmed have all resigned and implored Sir Keir “to act in the country’s interest and set out a timetable for your departure.” Plus at least 80 Labour MPs have called for a leadership change.
But a defiant Sir Keir told his Cabinet earlier he “will not quit” – and urged them to back him amid what has been seen as the biggest crisis of his premiership.
It comes as more than 100 Labour MPs have signed a statement urging Sir Keir Starmer not to stand down saying “this is no time for a leadership contest”.
The fresh statement, signed by 103 MPs, tells colleagues they must start “working together”.
Key Points
- Fourth minister has resigned from Keir Starmer's Government
- More than 100 Labour MPs sign statement backing PM
- Starmer tells Cabinet he will continue governing
- Poll shows Burnham is only Labour alternative notable number of Brits prefer to Starmer
King should be kept out of Starmer’s leadership crisis
06:00 , Rebecca WhittakerKing Charles is set to lead a centuries-old tradition in parliament on Wednesday and deliver the King’s Speech in the House of Lords.
But following Keir Starmer’s leadership crisis, Buckingham Palace privately asked whether King Charles should proceed as planned.
It has been reported that the king’s team outlined to Starmer’s officials that the King should be kept out of the political crisis and not be used for political ends.
“The Palace view is ‘we do not want to be any part of this conversation — do not bring us into it,’” said one of the people familiar with the matter, according to Politico.
Watch: Defiant Starmer challenges cabinet to put up or shut up on leadership coup
05:00 , Rebecca WhittakerThe Government has appointed four new ministers and three new whips
04:00 , Rebecca WhittakerThe King has been pleased to approve the following appointments:
- Nesil Caliskan MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Natalie Fleet MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Home Office
- Catherine Atkinson MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice
- Preet Kaur Gill MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Health and Social Care
- Gen Kitchen MP as Comptroller of HM Household (Government Whip)
- Deirdre Costigan MP as Junior Lord of the Treasury (Government Whip)
- Shaun Davies MP as Assistant Whip, House of Commons
MP 'surprised' to see her name on a list supporting Keir Starmer
03:00 , Rebecca WhittakerLabour MP Rupa Huq has denied signing a letter in support of the Prime Minister and said she was “surprised” to see her name on the list.
More than 100 MPs were listed on the letter, which said it is “no time for a leadership contest”, including Ms Huq, the MP for Ealing Central and Acton.
In a post on X, she said: “Surprised to see my name on this list when I haven’t either signed any letter supporting the PM or called for the PM to go??
“Not very courteous of colleagues to put names down without their approval.”
Watch: Trump says Starmer is 'windmilling his country to death'
02:00 , Rebecca WhittakerGovernment approval rating at just 14 per cent
01:00 , Rebecca WhittakerThe approval ratings for Sir Keir Starmer’s government are sitting at just 14 per cent, new data shows.
Polling from YouGov suggests a disapproval rating of 70 per cent, up six per cent from last week’s survey.
Latest YouGov government approval ratings, 9-11 May 2026
— YouGov (@YouGov) May 12, 2026
Approve: 14% (-2 from 2-4 May)
Disapprove: 70% (+6)
Net: -56 (-8) pic.twitter.com/DTxYvKK76B
Watch: The Labour candidates who could replace Keir Starmer as prime minister
Tuesday 12 May 2026 23:45 , Rebecca WhittakerWes Streeting set to hold talks with Keir Starmer tomorrow
Tuesday 12 May 2026 23:15 , Rebecca WhittakerHealth secretary Wes Streeting is set to hold talks with the prime minister tomorrow morning, after more than 100 MPs have joined calls for Keir Starmer to quit.
He is expected to ask Starmer how he plans to “get us out of this mess” and talk about the “turbulence” that is gripping the Labour Party, The Times has reported.
Catherine West calls for 'real politicians' to stand up
Tuesday 12 May 2026 23:10 , Maira ButtCatherine West has called for “real politicians” to stand up and call for Sir Keir Starmer to resign amid intensifying demands for him to step down.
Ms West was the first Labour MP to call for the prime minister’s resignation following the local elections said there should be “no more hand-holding”.
She had announced she would launch a leadership challenge on Saturday before eventually backing down.
“No more hand-holding. It’s the moment,” she told the BBC on Tuesday.
Although she did not elaborate on who the “real politicians” were, it is thought that she was referring to Cabinet members, including six who had been expected to demand Sir Keir’s resignation this morning.
Comment: Why it still won’t be Wes Streeting
Tuesday 12 May 2026 22:45 , Rebecca WhittakerFor all the health secretary’s achievements with the NHS, his centrist instincts and peerless communication skills, the odds are stacked against him replacing Keir Starmer in No 10 , says John Rentoul.
Read more here:
Watch: In The Room | Streeting, Burnham, Rayner: Coming for Starmer's job?
Tuesday 12 May 2026 22:15 , Rebecca WhittakerMP is 'confident' of leadership being challenged soon
Tuesday 12 May 2026 21:45 , Rebecca WhittakerA Labour MP has said she is “confident” there will be a leadership challenge to Keir Starmer soon.
Welsh Labour Party politician Tonia Antoniazzi has called on the prime minister to resign. she said she feels “really bad” because he is a “very nice man” but stressed that isn’t enough.
She told Sky News: "Well, no, there isn't a name on a ballot paper yet - but we're going to see one emerge, maybe two emerge, pretty soon."
Keir Starmer replaces ministers who resigned in calls for the prime minister to quit
Tuesday 12 May 2026 21:26 , Rebecca WhittakerPrime Minister Keir Starmer has made replacements for the ministers who have left government.
Jess Phillips MP, Alex Davies-Jones MP, Miatta Fahnbulleh MP and Dr Zubir Ahmed have all resigned and implored Sir Keir “to act in the country’s interest and set out a timetable for your departure.”
The King has been pleased to approve the following appointments:
- Nesil Caliskan MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Natalie Fleet MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Home Office
- Catherine Atkinson MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice
- Preet Kaur Gill MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Health and Social Care
- Gen Kitchen MP as Comptroller of HM Household (Government Whip)
- Deirdre Costigan MP as Junior Lord of the Treasury (Government Whip)
- Shaun Davies MP as Assistant Whip, House of Commons
America’s largest bank wades into Labour Party’s Starmer crisis
Tuesday 12 May 2026 21:15 , Rebecca WhittakerThe chairman and CEO of JP Morgan-Chase has delivered his verdict on Keir Starmer’s mounting leadership troubles, warning Labour against becoming “hostile to banks again”.
While Jamie Dimon offered his support to the prime minister, who has been facing intensifying pressure to resign, he threatened to pull a billion-dollar project if Labour moved towards the left.
Nearly 100 MPs have called on Sir Keir to resign or issue a timetable to step down amid the fallout, which has also seen four of his government ministers quit after last week’s disastrous local election results.
Read more by Maira Butt here:
America’s largest bank wades into Labour Party’s Starmer crisis
Recap: All the ministers and ministerial aides that have left so far
Tuesday 12 May 2026 21:00 , Rebecca Whittaker- Alex Davies-Jones (minister)
- Jess Phillips (minister)
- Miatta Fahnbulleh (minister)
- Gordon McKee (Parliamentary Private Secretary)
- Sally Jameson (PPS)
- Melanie Ward (PPS)
- Naushabah Khan (PPS)
- Joe Morris (PPS)
- Tom Rutland (PPS)
- Zubir Ahmed (minister)
A change in leadership is 'probably coming' says Labour Growth Group’s parliamentary chairman
Tuesday 12 May 2026 20:49 , Rebecca WhittakerChris Curtis, the Labour Growth Group’s parliamentary chairman, said a change of party leadership is “probably coming at this stage”.
The MP told Sky News: “I think that clearly when this number of MPs have come out and said that they think that a change of leadership is required – and I added my voice to that chorus – it’s going to be very difficult to put that genie back into the bottle, and a change of leadership is probably coming at this stage.
“The only question is how quickly it comes about and what that process is.”
Asked if he would like to see Health Secretary Wes Streeting launch a leadership campaign, Mr Curtis added: “There are many talented people who might be interested in running for the Labour leadership.
“I can’t speak for any of them, nor can I speak for any other MPs. I can only speak for myself.
“Wes is incredibly talented if he were to put his name forward, but I think what we need is we need to ensure that there is an orderly process, a transition that happens as quickly as possible, because we can’t have this dragging out for too long.”
Watch: Trump says Starmer is 'windmilling his country to death'
Tuesday 12 May 2026 20:45 , Maira ButtMP 'surprised' to see her name on a list supporting Keir Starmer
Tuesday 12 May 2026 20:32 , Rebecca WhittakerLabour MP Rupa Huq has denied signing a letter in support of the Prime Minister and said she was “surprised” to see her name on the list.
More than 100 MPs were listed on the letter, which said it is “no time for a leadership contest”, including Ms Huq, the MP for Ealing Central and Acton.
In a post on X, she said: “Surprised to see my name on this list when I haven’t either signed any letter supporting the PM or called for the PM to go??
“Not very courteous of colleagues to put names down without their approval.”
Ed Miliband prepared to run for Labour leadership, according to reports
Tuesday 12 May 2026 20:30 , Maira ButtEd Miliband is reportedly ready to run for the Labour leadership if Sir Keir Starmer resigns, according to The Times.
He is understood to back Andy Burnham as the prime minister’s successor if he quits and has been viewed as a “kingmaker” for the mayor.
However, two senior government sources told cabinet colleagues that Miliband has now reconsidered his position and would be prepared to stand as a candidate himself in a bid to prevent health secretary Wes Streeting from doing so.
.”This is mischief-making — it is categorically untrue that Ed told Cabinet colleagues that he was preparing to stand in case of a contest,” a source close to the energy secretary said.
Trump gives Starmer advice as Labour MPs call for him to resign
Tuesday 12 May 2026 20:17 , Rebecca WhittakerUS president Donald Trump has told Keir Starmer to “open up oil your in the North Sea” and “get tough on immigration”, as Labour MPs call for him to resign.
When asked about whether Starmer should stay as prime minister, Trump replied: “That’s up to him.”
He added: “I told him from day one, you’re getting killed on energy.
“You’re windmilling your country to death. Open up the North Sea. You have one of the greatest sources of energy in the world.”
Buckingham palace tells No10 to keep the King out of leadership crisis
Tuesday 12 May 2026 18:12 , Rebecca WhittakerKing Charles is set to lead a centuries-old tradition in parliament tomorrow and deliver the King’s Speech in the House of Lords.
But following Keir Starmer’s leadership crisis, Buckingham Palace privately asked whether King Charles should proceed as planned.
It has been reported that the king’s team outlined to Starmer’s officials that the King should be kept out of the political crisis and not be used for political ends.
“The Palace view is ‘we do not want to be any part of this conversation — do not bring us into it,’” said one of the people familiar with the matter, according to Politico.
