May 12, (THEWILL) — The political pressure on British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, deepened on Tuesday, after a second minister resigned from government amid growing discontent within the ruling Labour Party following its poor performance in last week’s local elections.
Jess Phillips, parliamentary under-secretary of state at Britain’s Home Office, announced her resignation, saying she could no longer continue under the current leadership due to dissatisfaction with the government’s direction.
Phillips’ exit came just hours after Miatta Fahnbulleh, a junior minister in the housing and communities department, also stepped down and urged Starmer to announce a timetable for his departure.
In her resignation letter, Phillips expressed concern that the government was failing to deliver the level of change expected by both Labour supporters and the wider British public.
“I want a Labour government to work and I will strive as I always have for its success and popularity, but I’m not seeing the change I think I, and the country expect”, she wrote.
The resignations have intensified political tension within the Labour Party at a time when Starmer is already facing mounting criticism over the party’s disappointing outing in recent local council elections across parts of the United Kingdom.
British media reports indicated that despite the growing calls for him to quit, Starmer insisted during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday that he remained focused on governing and had no plans to resign.
Reports further noted that although dissatisfaction is increasing among some Labour lawmakers and officials, no formal process has yet been initiated to challenge his leadership within the party.
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