SNP Westminster Leader Stephen Flynn has called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign, saying the Labour government is in chaos and failing to address the cost of living pressures facing families.
The intervention comes amid further turmoil inside the Labour Party, with Tim Allen quitting as Keir Starmer’s director of communications today, becoming the fourth person to leave that role since July 2024, following the resignation of chief of staff Morgan McSweeney yesterday.
Labour MPs are now openly questioning Starmer’s leadership as polling shows public confidence in the Prime Minister has collapsed after just 17 months in office.
An Opinium poll for the Observer published on Sunday found 55 per cent of voters believe Keir Starmer should go, with only 23 per cent saying he should stay, a higher figure than those calling for Rishi Sunak to resign during the leadership crisis of April 2024.
The same poll found negative ratings for Starmer across every leadership attribute measured, including being in touch with ordinary people, representing what most people think, and being a strong leader, alongside negative scores for trustworthiness, competence and acting in the nation’s best interests.
Flynn also criticised Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar for repeatedly declining media interviews over the Mandelson scandal and Keir Starmer’s future.
Sarwar has refused recent interview requests, including declining to appear on BBC Radio Scotland this morning and previously turning down the BBC Scotland Sunday Show, despite having publicly described Peter Mandelson as an old friend.
Speaking to PA Scotland, Stephen Flynn MP said:
“The Labour government is in chaos and completely distracted from the issues that matter, like helping families with the cost of living, which has soared under Keir Starmer.
“On the Prime Minister’s watch, the Labour Party has lurched from one crisis to another and has failed to deliver the ‘change’ voters were promised.
“Instead, we’ve had more of the same.
“It’s not in Scotland’s interests or anyone’s interest’s for this chaos to continue endlessly.
“It’s clear voters have lost confidence in Keir Starmer, and with his own MPs calling for him to go, he has become a lame duck leader who lacks the authority needed to deliver change.
“It wasn’t Morgan McSweeney who appointed Peter Mandelson, it was the Prime Minister and he did so knowing that Mandelson maintained his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the world’s most notorious paedophile and sex offender, with no regard for the victims.
“That is unforgivable and entirely on Keir Starmer.
“And it’s not the first time the Prime Minister has shown appalling judgement.
“From his first weeks in Downing Street there has been a litany of bad judgements, broken promises, scandals and failure but someone else is always forced to carry the can for Starmer’s mistakes.
“Voters haven’t forgotten that Starmer took thousands in designer suits while slashing the winter fuel payment for hard-pressed pensioners.
“He went back on his word and betrayed the WASPI women.
“He broke his promises to students by raising tuition fees.
“He broke his promises to businesses by hiking national insurance taxes.
“He said he wouldn’t impose austerity cuts, then took the most basic support from disabled people.
“He promised he would make things better, but they’ve got worse.
“Brexit Britain is more broken than ever.
“Energy bills are £500 higher than promised, food prices and inflation have soared, UK unemployment has risen to five-year high, the economy has been downgraded and public finances have deteriorated.
“This never-ending chaos can’t go on.
“Keir Starmer should do the decent thing and resign.”
On Anas Sarwar’s refusal to face media scrutiny, Flynn added:
“Anas Sarwar has shown real political cowardice over the Mandelson scandal.
“His ‘old friend’ is tearing the Labour government apart and he’s nowhere to be seen.
“Sarwar wants voters to believe that he has what it takes to be First Minister but whenever there’s a Labour Party scandal he declines media interviews, ducks responsibility and runs scared of scrutiny.
“That isn’t someone who has the strength to stand up for Scotland.
“It’s time he came out of hiding, grew a backbone, and called for Keir Starmer to go.”
