Splits within Labour have already started to emerge following some of the party’s disappointing results in Thursday’s local elections.
Although the government narrowly won three mayoral elections in West of England, Doncaster and North Tyneside – where Reform were snapping at their heels – Labour lost out to Nigel Farage’s party in Greater Lincolnshire.
Keir Starmer’s party also lost the Runcorn and Helsby by-election to Reform UK by just six votes.
This result was especially humiliating for the government, considering Labour won the same seat in the July general election with a majority of 14,696.
So the blame game within Labour started quickly on Friday as supporters called for the prime minister to listen to voters.
Labour backbencher Diane Abbott wrote on X this morning: “Labour leadership seems to think that the answer to these catastrophic election results is more of the same, including cuts to winter fuel payments.”
Grassroots left-wing group, Momentum – known for backing Labour – hit out at the results too.
Co-chair Sasha Das Gupta said in a statement that the Runcorn by-election “should raise alarm bells in the Labour Party”.
She called for Labour to change course, adding: “By continuing austerity, pandering to the far right and failing to offer real change, the Labour leadership risks handing the country to the likes of Nigel Farage.”
John McDonnell MP, Labour’s former shadow chancellor – who lost the party whip last July – said the party’s response to the local elections was “tin eared”.
Writing on social media, he said Labour’s supporters feel the party has “turned its back on them,” particularly after its recent set of controversial policies such as cuts to the winter fuel allowance, welfare cuts and the increase to employers’ national insurance.
He called on the government to “drop the plans to attack [the] disabled”.
Similarly, Richard Burgon MP – who also lost the whip after voting against the government over the two-child benefit cap last summer – said the Runcorn by-election was “entirely avoidable”.
He said; “The leadership is driving away our own voters – and letting Reform squeeze through.”
He said Starmer needs to “urgently change course and govern with real Labour values to deliver the change people are crying out for.”
Meanwhile, Scottish Labour MP Brian Leishman wrote on X: “People voted for real change last July and an end to austerity.
“The first 10 months haven’t been good enough or what the people want, and if we don’t improve people’s living standards then the next government will be an extreme right wing one.”
All of this criticism follows the new Labour mayor for Doncaster Ros Jones’ attack on Starmer earlier today.
She said: “He needs to listen and take action, but also remember they’ve been in government a short length of time. We’ve got to drive places like Doncaster forward. Keir’s got to dive the country forward and actually deliver economic growth so all can prosper.”
Despite enduring their own pretty bad set of election results, the Conservatives were quick to jump on her words and highlight the rift emerging within Labour ranks.
A Conservative Party spokesman said: “Ros Jones has barely been re-elected as Labour Mayor of Doncaster – and her first move? Publicly tearing into Keir Starmer’s failing government.
“When even Labour’s own elected mayors are slamming Starmer’s cruel policies – like snatching Winter Fuel Payments from vulnerable pensioners and hammering families with a £3,500 Jobs Tax – you know the country is heading in the wrong direction.
“Starmer promised change, but Britain isn’t buying it. His own party isn’t either. Serious questions are now being asked about Starmer’s leadership.”
Meanwhile, Labour chair Ellie Reeves defended the party’s losses this morning, telling Sky News: “Last July, the public voted overwhelmingly for change at the general election. And people are impatient for change.
“It doesn’t happen overnight. We’re impatient for change, as well. We are getting on with starting to deliver the change that people voted for.”
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