News

Starmer fights for survival as Labour civil war erupts

Published

4 weeks ago

May 12, 2026

Cabinet split, ministers resign and MPs revolt as pressure mounts on Prime Minister after disastrous election losses

KEIR STARMER is facing the biggest political crisis of his premiership as Labour descends into open civil war, with cabinet ministers divided, MPs publicly revolting and speculation mounting over who could replace him.

The Prime Minister entered a crucial cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning under extraordinary pressure after Labour’s disastrous local election performances across England, Scotland and Wales triggered a wave of panic inside the party.

By mid-morning, at least 78 Labour MPs had publicly called on Starmer either to resign immediately or set out a timetable for departure — almost one in five of Labour’s parliamentary party.

The situation worsened overnight when six ministerial aides quit their roles, forcing Downing Street into a late-night reshuffle to replace them.

The political turmoil is now so severe that financial markets have started reacting nervously, with UK government borrowing costs climbing amid fears of instability at the heart of government.

***The PM is dominating the front pages today (Image: BBC)***

Cabinet tensions explode

Tuesday morning’s cabinet meeting was supposed to focus heavily on the escalating Middle East crisis.

Instead, Labour’s internal collapse dominated Westminster.

BBC political editor Chris Mason reported that Starmer’s cabinet is now openly split on the most fundamental question in government:
whether the Prime Minister should remain in office.

Some ministers are urging him to fight on.

Others are reportedly telling him privately that he should announce a timetable for departure.

The most damaging intervention came from Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who is understood to have urged Starmer to prepare for an orderly transition.

Despite the growing pressure, the Prime Minister attempted to project calm and authority during cabinet discussions.

According to political correspondent Harry Farley, Starmer told ministers:
“As I said yesterday, I take responsibility for these election results and I take responsibility for delivering the change we promised.

“The past 48 hours have been destabilising for government and that has a real economic cost for our country and for families.

“The Labour Party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered.

“The country expects us to get on with governing.”

However, few in Westminster now believe the crisis can simply be contained.

***Uncertain times: If the PM goes who will replace him?***

First minister resigns

The first ministerial resignation came from Communities Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh, who delivered a devastating blow to Starmer’s authority.

In a resignation letter published online, she wrote:
“The public does not believe that you can lead this change — and nor do I.”

Fahnbulleh accused the government of failing to govern with sufficient “vision, pace and ambition”.

She also criticised controversial decisions including winter fuel payment changes and cuts affecting disabled people.

Her resignation is politically significant because she is regarded as a close ally of former Labour leader Ed Miliband.

Importantly, Fahnbulleh did not demand Starmer leave immediately.

Instead, she called for: “An orderly transition so that a new team can deliver the change we promised the country.”

That wording is already being interpreted inside Westminster as an attempt to create time for potential successors — particularly Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham — to position themselves.

***Andy Burnham and Kier Starmer during the General Election Campaign***

Burnham speculation grows

Speculation surrounding Andy Burnham intensified dramatically throughout Tuesday morning.

Burnham, currently Mayor of Greater Manchester, is seen by many Labour activists and MPs as one of the few figures with strong electoral appeal outside Westminster.

However, he is not currently an MP, meaning he would need to return to Parliament through a by-election before he could formally contest the Labour leadership.

Senior minister Darren Jones attempted to shut down the speculation during a difficult round of BBC interviews.

Asked whether Burnham could return to frontline politics, Jones dismissed the idea as:
“Fantasy politics.”

He insisted Labour should focus on governing rather than leadership plotting.

Jones also criticised the public nature of Labour’s internal warfare, saying:
“It’s right to have challenging conversations internally — as opposed to in public.”

However, notably, Jones repeatedly avoided explicitly guaranteeing that Starmer would lead Labour into the next general election.

That omission fuelled further speculation that even some loyalists are preparing for change behind the scenes.

Two rival camps emerging

Westminster insiders now believe Labour is beginning to split into two broad leadership camps.

One group is thought to favour an “orderly transition” which would potentially allow Burnham time to re-enter Parliament before a contest begins.

Another faction — reportedly involving allies of Health Secretary Wes Streeting — is believed to favour a faster leadership contest that would effectively prevent Burnham entering the race.

Streeting himself has remained publicly loyal so far, but his name is increasingly being discussed as a potential successor.

Other names circulating include:
– Angela Rayner
– David Lammy
– Rachel Reeves
– Yvette Cooper

At present, no formal challenger has declared.

But the atmosphere inside Westminster is deteriorating rapidly.

One Labour MP reportedly described the situation as: “Complete meltdown.”

Rebellion spreads across Labour

Several Labour MPs openly attacked Starmer during broadcast interviews on Tuesday morning.

Labour MP Yuan Yang said she no longer believed the Prime Minister could lead the party into the next election.

She urged Starmer to:
“Take control and set out an orderly timetable.”

Meanwhile Gower MP Tonia Antoniazzi said Starmer was:
“Not cutting through” with voters.

She warned that Nigel Farage and Reform UK were increasingly dominating public debate while Labour appeared directionless.

Jonathan Hinder, Labour MP for Pendle and Clitheroe, delivered one of the most brutal assessments.

Speaking on BBC Newsnight, he said: “No prime minister can survive this number of MPs losing confidence in him.”

He added: “Keir Starmer has never been an electoral asset.”

Economic warning signs emerge

The political instability is now beginning to have real-world economic consequences.

UK government borrowing costs rose sharply on Tuesday morning, with yields on 10-year government bonds climbing above five per cent.

Economics editor Dharshini David warned that investors fear a change in Labour leadership could lead to:
– Looser control of public spending
– Increased borrowing
– Higher inflation
– Rising mortgage costs

The UK already faces growing debt interest payments, with roughly one pound in every ten spent by government now going towards servicing debt.

Analysts warned prolonged political instability could further damage confidence in Britain’s economic outlook.

Timing could hardly be worse

The crisis comes at an extraordinary moment politically.

On Wednesday, the King is due to deliver the State Opening of Parliament, outlining the government’s legislative plans for the coming year.

Traditionally, the monarch repeatedly refers to “My Government” throughout the speech.

Yet as ministers arrived at Downing Street on Tuesday morning, journalists openly shouted questions including: “Is it all over for Keir Starmer?”

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy smiled and waved at reporters but ignored questions about whether Starmer should resign.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves also declined to answer questions as she entered Downing Street.

Meanwhile, political commentators noted the surreal contrast between the pageantry of constitutional government and the growing sense that the Prime Minister may be politically mortally wounded.

What happens next?

Under Labour Party rules, 20% of Labour MPs — 81 MPs — are required to formally trigger a leadership contest.

Public opposition is now approaching that threshold.

Attention will now focus on:
– Whether further ministers resign
– Whether cabinet ministers publicly break ranks
– Whether leadership camps begin organising openly
– Whether Starmer offers concessions or timetables
– Whether markets continue reacting negatively

For now, Starmer insists he will not “walk away”.

But inside Westminster, many Labour MPs increasingly believe the question is no longer whether he goes — but when.

Crime

Kebab firm fined £500,000 after ‘lamb’ found to be mostly skin and fat

Published

10 hours ago

June 8, 2026

Court Reporter

A KEBAB manufacturer has been fined £500,000 after a court heard products sold as lamb contained little actual lamb and were instead made up largely of skin, fat and other meats.

Kismet Kebabs Ltd, based in Chelmsford, Essex, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court after previously admitting fraud by false representation.

***The court heard invoices showed products that “cannot be called meat as per the legal definition” were being used to produce kebabs***

The company was also ordered to pay £259,298 in costs.

The case was brought following an investigation led by Swansea Council’s trading standards team, which found products supplied to takeaways and restaurants did not match the meat content declared on their labels.

***The judge said the firm had engaged in “considerable dishonesty”***

Prosecutor Lee Reynolds told the court the firm had misled wholesalers, retailers and customers over a prolonged period.

He said products described as lamb contained a mixture of fat, skin, goat, mutton, mechanically reclaimed meat and other lower-grade products.

In one example, a lamb doner labelled as containing 87% lamb was found to contain only 51% meat and 40% fat.

The investigation began after trading standards officers carried out sampling at kebab houses and restaurants in late 2020 and early 2021.

**The company purchased a “large volume of fat” to put in its products**

Further testing at wholesalers found major differences between what was stated on labels and what the products actually contained.

Officers later visited Kismet’s factory in Chelmsford, where concerns were raised about production, packaging and labelling.

The court heard invoices showed the firm was buying very little lamb, but large quantities of skin, fat, goat and other products.

***Invoices showed products that “cannot be called meat as per the legal definition” were being used***

Kismet’s barrister, Stuart Jessop, said the firm had operated successfully for many years and had since made significant changes. He said the company had “taken its eye off the ball” at the time of the offending, but argued that forcing it out of business would benefit nobody.

Judge Huw Rees said fraudulent activity had been “endemic” at the company and described the dishonesty as considerable and prolonged.

The company has been given four years to pay the fine and costs.

Community

HMS Erebus exhibition opens as Pembroke Dock marks 200-year milestone

Published

10 hours ago

June 7, 2026

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKE DOCK HERITAGE CENTRE has marked the 200th anniversary of the launch of HMS Erebus with a special event celebrating one of the town’s most remarkable maritime stories.

HMS Erebus was built at the Royal Dockyard in Pembroke Dock and launched on June 7, 1826, before going on to become one of the most famous exploration vessels of the 19th century.

The ship later took part in major polar expeditions, including voyages to Antarctica, before being lost during Sir John Franklin’s doomed Arctic expedition. Its wreck was discovered in Canadian waters in 2014, reigniting worldwide interest in the vessel and its Pembrokeshire origins.

The anniversary event was attended by supporters, volunteers and visitors, with music from folk trio Broadoak and a presentation by Professor Russell Potter on the ship’s extraordinary career.

The Heritage Centre thanked everyone who helped make the event possible, including its volunteers, catering team, musicians and guest of honour Professor Potter.

The new exhibition, HMS Erebus: From Dockyard to Discovery, opens to the public on Monday (Jun 8).

Professor Potter will also give a public talk, From Land’s End to the Ends of the Earth: The Eventful Career of HMS Erebus, at 10:30am.

Charity

Public urged not to ‘rescue’ healthy young gulls as summer admissions rise

Published

11 hours ago

June 7, 2026

Tom Sinclair

ANIMAL rescue organisations are urging people to think twice before intervening with young gulls this summer, warning that many birds taken into care do not actually need help.

The RSPCA, Scottish SPCA and British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council say thousands of gulls are brought into rescue centres every year, with many cases involving healthy chicks or fledglings that have simply left the nest as part of learning to fly.

The organisations say well-meaning members of the public often mistake this normal stage of development for abandonment, even though parent birds are usually nearby and continue to feed and protect their young.

RSPCA wildlife rescue expert Verity Miles said: “Each summer, our wildlife centres see a surge in young gulls being brought in by kind members of the public.

“Gulls are such underappreciated animals, so it’s amazing so many people want to help them. However, in many cases these birds have not been abandoned, but have left the nest as they learn to fly. This is a normal part of their development.

“Their parents will usually remain nearby and continue to feed and protect them, but sadly many well-meaning passers-by will mistake this for abandonment.”

The warning comes as rescue teams prepare for the peak breeding season, when calls about gulls rise sharply.

Sean Meechan, Wildlife Operations Lead at the Scottish SPCA, said officers attend thousands of gull-related calls every year, particularly in early summer.

He said: “While some situations do require intervention, the majority involve healthy birds that are best left alone.”

Experts say removing a healthy chick or fledgling can cause stress and reduce its chances of survival. They also warn that disturbing or taking gulls, eggs or nests can be an offence unless there is a genuine need to intervene.

Paul Reynolds, Chair of the British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council, said: “Taking a healthy chick or fledgling away from their parents can cause stress to the young bird and significantly reduce their chance of survival.

“Not only that, but it is also an offence to disturb, or take gulls or eggs from their nests, unless absolutely necessary, so you may inadvertently be breaking the law by bringing in gulls that are not sick or injured.”

The RSPCA says it has cared for nearly 4,000 gulls in its wildlife centres over the past five years, with admissions peaking in June. More than half involved young birds believed to be orphaned or grounded.

The Scottish SPCA attended more than 11,000 gull-related incidents over the same period.

The organisations say the public should leave uninjured young gulls where they are so their parents can continue to feed them. Very young chicks in immediate danger can be moved carefully to a nearby safe, elevated spot if possible.

People should only intervene if a bird is clearly sick or injured.

Anyone who finds an injured baby gull is advised to contact a vet or reputable wildlife rehabilitator. Injured adult gulls can be reported to the RSPCA in England and Wales, or the Scottish SPCA in Scotland.

Rescue organisations also warn that unnecessary handling and higher numbers of birds in care can increase the risk of disease transmission, including avian influenza.

Sean Meechan added: “The Scottish Government advises against handling gulls. If you’re concerned, the best course of action is to contact us and we can assess the situation.”