Is Labour heading towards a coup without a cause? Removing Starmer could prove dangerous for the party
Politics in this country has fundamentally changed in recent years. The churn of Prime Ministers and their levels of unpopularity suggests an ever-restless electorate and elected representatives.
The country’s political system is suffering from a psyche not too dissimilar to that of football fans. There is a rush to change managers in the hope that it will fix everything overnight, when in reality it won’t.
Beleaguered Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has been deserving of criticism. He has made many mistakes in just under two years in office. However, it would be churlish to not acknowledge that this is a man who has risen to the two highest offices in the country.
As he faces the biggest challenge to his leadership, those within Labour ranks that are angling for change need to be careful. It could well prove to be a coup without a cause that could have generational consequences for Labour and the country.
The question that restive Labour MPs need to ask themselves is who is going to fill in the void should Starmer depart as leader and PM? The popular choice with the party’s grassroots and many backbenchers doesn’t even have a parliamentary seat. While others would be even more divisive and unpalatable to some of those calling for a change of leadership.
Starmer loyalists have been warning against making the same mistakes as the Tories. The fact that long-term borrowing costs surged to a fresh 28-year high and the pound weakened is a reminder of the dangers that come with self-inflicted instability.
The country cannot and will not accept another sideshow. The cost of internal fighting at a time when the country faces the gravest economic, security and social challenges it has faced in generations would leave a bitter taste in the mouth of voters.