As the Prime Minister fights for his political life against a massive Labour mutiny of 79 MPs, Downing Street saw ministers support Sir Keir Starmer while reported critics left without saying a word
12:04, 12 May 2026Updated 12:04, 12 May 2026
Sophie Ridge was forced to duck the camera
Chaos engulfed Downing Street with TV presenters ducking cameras and broadcasters chasing politicians – with ministers stressing their support for the embattled Prime Minister.
The Cabinet was told by Sir Keir Starmer that the mechanism for a leadership election “had not been triggered” and that he wasn’t going anywhere. Critics of Starmer had been expected to tell him to resign during the meeting after nearly 80 MPs and one minister called on him to resign.
In an unprecedented move after the meeting, a series of cabinet members came out to speak to the TV cameras insist the PM had their support.
A press pack chased ministers
When Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy emerged from 10 Downing Street, Sky News presenter Sophie Ridge was forced to suddenly duck to clear the camera’s view of the famous black door. Journalist Robert Peston was seen running across the camera as the press pack chased after Ms Nandy.
Despite the expected cabinet showdown, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said the PM did not face a direct resignation call from any of his ministers as he issued his support for his leader. Among others to voice their support for Sir Keir were Technology Secretary Liz Kendall, Business Secretary Peter Kyle and Housing Secretary Steve Reed.
But other ministers – including those who are reportedly thought to have told Sir Keir to quit – left the meeting without speaking to reporters, pointing to splits in his top team over his future.
Ms Kendall said: “This Government will do what we were elected to do which is serve the British people. The Prime Minister has my full support in this.
“Let me just say this; there is a process to challenge the leader, nobody has made that challenge and what people would expect me to do is to focus on how we can grow the economy, tackle the cost of living and give them a better life.”
Mr McFadden said nobody publicly challenged Sir Keir to go at the Cabinet meeting, Mr Kyle said Sir Keir was showing “really steadfast leadership,” and Mr Reed said the PM had his “full support”.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting, seen as a possible successor, ignored journalists shouting questions at him as he left No 10.
Wes Streeting didn’t say a word(Image: AP)
Sir Keir has dug in, despite the first ministerial resignation from his Government and a growing number of Labour MPs urging him to set a timetable for his departure. According to Downing Street, the Prime Minister told his Cabinet: “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. That is what I am doing and what we must do as a Cabinet.”
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.
