Labour MP backs down from leadership challenge

Catherine West has confirmed 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.

She says the PM’s speech yesterday was “good, but doesn’t outweigh the results from last Thursday.”

The backbench MP threatened over the weekend to launch a leadership challenge against the PM, if the cabinet did not choose a new leader yesterday. 

Then, she added that she would listen to Starmer’s speech and would push for a leadership contest if it wasn’t up to scratch. 

She has since confirmed she will be pushing ahead with her plan to remove Starmer – but that she will ask MPs to support calls for the PM to set a timeline for his departure, rather than launching an immediate leadership challenge.

A leadership challenge would require 81 Labour MPs to publicly back Catherine’s call for one.

Meanwhile, Labour’s Deputy Leader has backed Sir Keir Starmer, saying that the PM gave a “really good speech that sets out very clearly what motivates him.”

Speaking amid growing calls within Labour for the prime minister to resign, Lucy Powell told broadcasters: “I thought that was a really normal and a really good speech that sets out very clearly what motivates him. 

“I think that’s what people want to hear, what motivates him, what motivates this Labour government, what we get up every day trying to fight for which is to fundamentally break up the status quo so that this country works in the interests of ordinary working people. And I thought he made a compelling case for that.” –Skynews