The largest unions that support the British Labour Party have warned that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will not lead the party in the upcoming parliamentary elections, in a new political blow that deepens the crisis within Labour after the disastrous results in the last election.
According to a draft statement obtained by The Guardian, 11 Labour-affiliated unions – including Unite, Unison and the GMB – are expected to publicly state that the party “cannot continue on its current path” and that “at some point a plan will need to be put in place for the election of a new leader.”
The statement comes after a private meeting between union leaders, where sources said there was a heated argument over whether Starmer should immediately announce a timetable for his departure. One source told the Guardian that there had been “a huge row” between union officials during the meeting.
However, the unions agreed to send a clear signal that they believe Starmer will not be the leader to take Labour to the next election.
The draft statement says that, despite some achievements such as raising the minimum wage and some reforms to workers' rights, Labour "is not doing enough to deliver the change people voted for".
The unions are calling for a "fundamental change in economic direction and political strategy", distancing themselves from "the political drama and personality battles in Westminster".
Starmer's political crisis has deepened after the resignation of four ministers and calls from more than 90 Labour MPs for his resignation. Although Starmer has told cabinet ministers he will continue to fight to remain prime minister, many of his allies privately admit he is unlikely to lead the party into the next election unless he can quickly turn around the political situation.
