Starmer to meet Streeting on Wednesday as leadership crisis divides Labour

Phillips among four ministers to quit as Starmer battles for premiership3 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJoshua NevettPolitical reporterWatch: What comes next as Keir Starmer fights for his job?Four ministers including Jess Phillips have resigned from government, with Labour deeply divided by a revolt among MPs against Sir Keir Starmer's leadership.In a letter, Phillips told Sir Keir she was "not seeing the change" the country expected and could not serve "under the current leadership".Phillips is one of four ministers to quit as dozens of Labour MPs urge Sir Keir to resign as prime minister after dire election results, while more than 100 others warned against a leadership contest.On Tuesday, Sir Keir told cabinet ministers he would get on with governing and pointed out that a formal leadership challenge had not been triggered.Several senior ministers rallied around the prime minister following the meeting.The resignations and turmoil in Downing Street come a day before Sir Keir's government is due to set out its legislative agenda in the King's Speech.Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said Sir Keir had his "full support", as he urged colleagues calling for him to resign to "step back"."No one seems to have the names to stand up against Keir Starmer, and for those who are suggesting that he should stand down, they should say which candidate would be better," he added.A government source told the BBC that at the cabinet meeting Sir Keir told colleagues he would not discuss the election results or his leadership, and would only speak to cabinet ministers about those topics "individually".The BBC understands several cabinet ministers tried to talk to Sir Keir about his leadership after the cabinet meeting but he declined to speak to them.But Health Secretary Wes Streeting is due to meet Sir Keir in Number 10 Downing Street on Wednesday.The BBC has been told Streeting will not be sa...