Three ministers including Jess Phillips, a high-profile Labour politician, have quit in protest as Prime Minister Keir Starmer refuses to heed growing calls to resign.
Starmer has promised to “get on with governing”, defying calls from more than 80 MPs who are urging him to leave imminently or set out a timetable to do so after the Labour Party suffered heavy election losses.
What happens if Starmer chooses to stay?
If Starmer does not resign, he could be challenged by one or more Labour MPs. He might also technically face a no-confidence motion from the main opposition Conservative Party, though Labour’s large majority makes that scenario unlikely.
The first to make a move was backbencher Catherine West, who said on Sunday that she would launch a leadership bid if the Cabinet did not remove Starmer by Monday.
She admitted she was far short of the support needed to trigger a contest, and on Monday she dropped the plan, which appeared aimed at flushing out more prominent potential challengers.
The Conservative Party has a record of ousting its leaders while they are serving as prime minister – including Margaret Thatcher in 1990 and Boris Johnson in 2022.
No Labour prime minister has ever been forced out, though Tony Blair announced his intention to resign in 2007 after a series of junior resignations.
Any challengers would need to meet eligibility thresholds, while Starmer would be automatically included on the ballot.