British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday defended his government against criticism of former prime minister and longest-serving Labour Party leader Tony Blair, saying the cabinet had adopted the "right" policies to start stabilising Britain after a period of volatility.
In a more than 5,000-word article, Blair, who immediately led Labour in three British elections between 1997 and 2007, criticised Starmer and two potential rivals this week, calling on the ruling party to focus on making better policy decisions rather than preoccupied with personalities or hasty reactions to its declining popularity.
Starmer, who has one of the worst voter approval ratings of all leaders, said he welcomed the debate on "policies and ideas" but disagreed with Blair's assessment of the government's record nearly two years after it took power.
"I don't agree that the political choices of this government were not the right choices, given what we inherited," he told reporters.
Improving relations with the European Union, stabilizing the economy and reducing waiting times for public health services in the country are among his government's achievements, he said, stressing his repeated message that he does not plan to step down despite calls from several party members.
Blair's comments did little to calm the atmosphere within the Labour Party, with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and former health secretary Wes Streeting, the two potential candidates to succeed Starmer, also dismissive of his criticism.
A wave of resignations rocks Starmer's government
A wave of sharp ministerial and parliamentary resignations hit British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government in May 2026, following the resounding defeat of the Labour Party in local and regional elections, as the party lost more than 1,400 municipal seats and lost its historic control of the Welsh parliament to the Reform and Green parties.
The government has seen a series of successive resignations, most notably Health Secretary Wes Streeting sending a scathing letter to Starmer criticizing his "loss of ability to lead the party towards the general election" and four secretaries of state and sub-officials who resigned en masse in protest against Starmer's continuation, namely Jess Phillips, Zubair Ahmed (health minister and Strating ally), Alex Davies-Jones, Miata Vanbolle, as well as six parliamentary aides and secretaries, not to mention a broad parliamentary rebellion and public calls for him to step down. More than 95 Labour MPs have publicly urged Starmer to resign immediately or set a clear timetable for his departure.
Scenarios for Starmer's removal
Under Labour rules, Starmer could be removed through a no-confidence vote, which would require the signatures of 20% of the party's MPs (81 out of 403) to rally around a single alternative candidate and trigger a leadership election.
Or he could be removed through a mass resignation of senior ministers, which is the most dangerous scenario, according to those involved in British affairs, as it could make Starmer's political position unsustainable and push him to resign under the pressure of the collapse of the government.
Causes of the crisis
The crisis erupted following Labour's crushing defeat in the local council elections, losing more than 1,400 seats and losing its historic control of the Welsh Parliament, in light of the remarkable rise of the right-wing Reform Party and the Greens, as these results were seen as a political earthquake that toppled the party's image as a dominant electoral force.
Starmer is facing a sharp decline in his popularity due to austerity decisions that have angered pensioners, most notably a cut in winter fuel allowances amid the cost-of-living crisis, and pressure on him has increased after the controversy over his appointment of his close friend Peter Mandelson as Britain's ambassador to Washington, despite the latter's name being linked to the case of convicted billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.