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Sir Keir Starmer is “losing the plot” amid mounting challenges to the Labour Party leadership following this week’s disastrous local elections, reports suggest. The Prime Minister is battling to save his job after voters drifted from Labour to Reform UK and the Green Party on Thursday, with the party losing seats in many former strongholds in London and cities across England.

Manchester MP Graham Stringer told the Daily Mail: “If Keir ever had the plot, then he has lost it. It is a parody of the politics of 16 years ago. Neither Harriet nor Gordon is able to solve an impossible question – how to improve a very unpopular Prime Minister.”

Ms West, a former junior Foreign Office minister, said she believes “new leadership” is required, “which understands the urgent and real concerns of people across the UK”.

She told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “I will hear what the Prime Minister’s got to say tomorrow and, then if I’m still dissatisfied, I will put out my email to the Parliamentary Labour Party, asking for names.

“And the reason I’m doing that is not for me. It’s for working people, because Labour is the only party that can beat Reform.”

The Prime Minister is expected to use an address on Monday and the King’s Speech on Wednesday to mount a fightback after growing calls for a change at the top of the party.

In a Mirror interview, he insisted he would lead Labour into the next general election to continue with his 10-year project of “national renewal”.

Results announced on Saturday underlined the challenge Sir Keir is facing; however, with Reform taking control in Barnsley and pushing Labour out of office in Bradford, while a Green surge took Lewisham and forced Labour out in Lambeth for the first time in 20 years.

Labour lost control of a total of 36 authorities, with a net loss of 1,193 councillors, leading to around 30 Labour backbenchers publicly suggesting Sir Keir should quit or set a timetable for his departure.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson pushed back on the calls for a change of leadership, however, accepting that the country is in a “perilous moment” but telling the BBC Sir Keir will set out a “fresh direction” for the Government.