Unrepentant and determined to “die” politically at the helm of the country appeared .
Despite a dangerously narrowing line of resignations, the British Prime Minister has put up a wall against his challengers within his own Cabinet, making it clear that he has no intention of handing over the keys to Downing Street without a fight.
In particular, Starmer told his ministers:
“As I said yesterday, I take responsibility for these election results and responsibility for delivering the change we promised.
The last 48 hours have been destabilizing for the government and this has a real financial cost to our country and to families.
The Labor Party has a specific process for challenging a leader and that process has not been activated.
The country expects us to continue to govern. That’s exactly what I’m doing and that’s what we have to do as a cabinet.”
Miata Fanboule resigned
Miata Phanboule, one of the most promising members of the new generation of Labor and a close ally of Ed Miliband, is leaving her ministerial post, calling for a “controlled” removal of the Prime Minister.
Fanboule is not calling for his immediate downfall, but is demanding a clear timetable for exit, a tactical move that many are interpreting as rolling out the carpet for Andy Burnham’s return to the political center stage.
He urges Starmer to “set a timetable for a smooth transition so that a new team can deliver the change we promised the country”. Depending on the length of that theoretical timetable, this could give Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, time to find a parliamentary seat and return to parliament as a Labor MP.
Miata Phanbule was not elected MP until 2024, so this is a bold move from a relatively young MP. Having previously led the New Economics Foundation (a left-wing think tank), he was quickly promoted to a ministerial role under Ed Miliband at the Department of Energy Security, before moving to the Department of Housing and Local Government.
