Sir Keir Starmer should resign as Labour leader if the party finishes third in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election, a prominent trade union leader has said.
Maryam Eslamdoust, general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA), has publicly backed Angela Rayner to replace him, marking the first time a leader of one of Labour’s affiliated unions has openly supported an alternative to Sir Keir.
Ms Eslamdoust warned that a leadership challenge could materialise as early as the end of February, particularly if Labour falls behind Reform UK and the Greens in the crucial by-election.
Ms Eslamdoust told the Daily Telegraph: “If we were to come third, I think Keir’s time will be up.”
Calling for a “widespread range” of candidates in any leadership contest, she said: “I’d like for a woman to lead the Labour Party.”
Ms Eslamdoust described Ms Rayner as “credible”, saying the former deputy prime minister could show “real leadership” and “stand up to” US President Donald Trump.
She added: “She can speak in a way that resonates with workers, with working-class communities, with women.
“But she’s also strong. So when she had her unfortunate scandal, she showed leadership and stepped down. She didn’t cling on, and that’s something that I find admirable.”
Ms Rayner was forced to resign last year following revelations that she had failed to pay £40,000 in stamp duty after selling her family home and could still face a penalty from HMRC over the unpaid tax.
But she is still spoken of as a potential leadership candidate should Sir Keir resign, although a spokesman for Ms Rayner said there was “no contest and no vacancy”.
The spokesman added: “Angela has been clear Labour must come together, avoid distraction and work as a team to deliver for the public.”
With around 17,000 members, the TSSA is one of Britain’s smaller trade unions but holds a seat on Labour’s ruling national executive committee.
The union was also critical of the recent decision to bar Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham from applying to be Labour’s candidate in Gorton and Denton, saying the party had “lost its way”.
Ms Eslamdoust’s comments come days after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar called for Sir Keir to quit amid the fallout from the Peter Mandelson scandal.
Sir Keir survived, with the Cabinet unanimously expressing its support for him and Ms Rayner also gave him her full backing, but her comments will add to the pressure he faces in the run-up to the by-election on February 26.
The Prime Minister himself has vowed to carry on, saying he was not prepared to “walk away” from the country or his party’s fight against Reform UK.
Source: UK Politics - www.independent.co.uk
