Labour MP urges PM to go amid huge election losses

A Labour MP for Crewe and Nantwich has called for the prime minister to step down in the wake of "catastrophic" local election results.

Connor Naismith, who was elected to the Crewe and Nantwich seat in 2024, said the party had seen its coalition "fall apart" as it lost hundreds of councillors across the country in the wake of a surge from Reform UK.

He described Sir Keir Starmer as a "man of integrity" but said new leadership was needed to "bring together a broad coalition of voters".

The prime minister said earlier on Friday that he was not going to walk away and "plunge the country into chaos", pledging to set out further steps to convince the electorate.

In a post on social media, Naismith said: "The prime minister is a good man, a man of integrity.

"He secured a general election victory no one believed possible and has led from the front on the world stage in difficult circumstances."

But the Cheshire MP said those attributes were not enough, as voters left the party to its left and right political wings.

"We are witnessing a fracturing of our politics which cannot be tolerated and which needs strong leadership that the country can unite behind," Naismith added.

"In the wake of these catastrophic local elections results, with regret it is clear to me that we need new leadership - leadership which is capable of bringing together a broad coalition of voters to stop the Thatcherite politics of Reform UK."

Naismith said Andy Burnham, who was blocked from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election in February, should be given the opportunity to re-enter Parliament "if an opportunity arises and if he wishes to do so".

His comments came as Reform won more than 1,000 council seats across the country on Friday, while the Green Party also saw gains with more than 200 councillors elected so far.

Labour also saw a historic collapse in Wales, ending its 27 year-long rule, while the SNP appears likely to remain the largest party in Scotland.

Reacting to the results, Sir Keir told the BBC: "I'm not going to walk away and plunge the country into chaos."

He pointed to Labour's landslide victory in the July 2024 general election and said the party had a five-year mandate to "change the country" under his leadership.

He said he would set out further steps in the coming days, in a bid to win the electorate back over.

Asked if he would stand in the next general election, he replied: "Yes. It was a five-year term I was elected to do, I intend to see that through."

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