US President Donald Trump has taken a shot at Keir Starmer in a new Truth Social post, where he said the Prime Minister had ‘failed badly’.
Pressure is mounting for Starmer to step aside, with Yvette Cooper now among senior cabinet figures believed to have advised him to leave.
Trump gave his opinion today, writing: ‘Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He failed badly on two very important subjects- IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!).
‘I wish him well! President DJT.’
Trump has repeatedly slammed Starmer for blocking oil drilling in the North Sea, and recently said Europe was ‘desperate’ for oil, which wasn’t flowing because the ‘United Kingdom refuses to open North Sea Oil’.
In November last year, Trump urged Sir Keir to deploy the army along the coast, saying Britain ‘won’t have a country left’ unless illegal migrants are deported.
The PM is believed to have consulted with his wife, Victoria, and children over his future and, according to sources, may be preparing to set out an exit plan as early as Monday.
Until now, allies of the PM and No 10 had insisted that he would fight any challenge to his leadership.
If Sir Keir resigns on Monday, Britain will be set for its seventh prime minister in 10 years, with Andy Burnham – who recently regained a seat in Parliament – the current favourite to replace him.
But Burnham has been warned not to become leader ‘by default’ by someone whose lack of authority cut short his own tenure in No 10.
Former Tory Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wrote in the Sunday Times that Mr Burnham would not have more power than on his first day in the job, and that being a ‘better communicator’ would not be enough to make his tenure a success.
‘It is vital he has a clear and achievable plan for what he wants to do in those opening hours’, the Conservative MP for Richmond and Northallerton wrote.
Sir Keir vowed not to walk away from his post on Friday, in the immediate aftermath of Burnham winning the Makerfield by-election, but pressure has been mounting over the weekend.
The number of Labour MPs calling for Sir Keir to go has since topped 100 – just under a quarter of the party’s MPs – and includes some who signed a letter warning against a leadership contest just last month.
Labour grandees have also spoken out, with former home secretary Alan Johnson saying Sir Keir should step aside and Lord Falconer saying he has ‘no authority’ because it is assumed he will be replaced by Burnham.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.