{"text":[[{"start":10,"text":"Sir Keir Starmer is “weighing” if he can salvage his premiership ahead of a crucial cabinet meeting on Tuesday, after senior ministers joined a growing revolt by Labour MPs and urged him to set a date for his departure."}],[{"start":23.7,"text":"Starmer’s allies acknowledged that the mood was “pretty ugly”, with one admitting that Labour might be about to ditch its leader. “It’s absolutely barking mad,” said one minister close to the prime minister."}],[{"start":36.2,"text":"Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper urged Starmer to set an orderly timetable for his departure, according to government officials close to the talks."}],[{"start":48.45,"text":"“Keir was listening and weighing things up,” said one person close to Monday’s fraught meetings. Asked whether Starmer would conclude he could stay on, one ministerial ally said: “I don’t know the answer to that.”"}],[{"start":61.2,"text":"The minister added: “Keir has to work out how he can bring order. Will more names come out calling for him to go? If Keir comes out strong on Tuesday, will that stem the flow? He’s weighing it.”"}],[{"start":70.9,"text":"Starmer has insisted he will fight on and those inside an embattled Number 10 insisted late on Monday night that his resolve remained strong."}],[{"start":79.5,"text":"But some allies believe he cannot stem the rising tide of Labour opinion calling for him to go. One said simply: “It’s over.” The prime minister will set out his response to the revolt to his cabinet on Tuesday morning."}],[{"start":93.05,"text":"Earlier on Monday Starmer’s bid to save his job with a “reset” speech after last week’s dire election results was followed by more than 70 Labour MPs calling for him to quit or set out plans for his departure."}],[{"start":107.3,"text":"Four ministerial aides also resigned, including allies of Wes Streeting, the health secretary and a leadership rival. One cabinet minister told the FT: “It seems an impossibility that Keir could lead us into the next election.”"}],[{"start":120.64999999999999,"text":"Starmer is under pressure to set a timetable for his departure, with Streeting and Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester mayor, waiting in the wings. The prime minister will set out his plans at cabinet on Tuesday."}],[{"start":132.6,"text":"Pat McFadden, work and pensions secretary, and Steve Reed, communities secretary, tried on Monday to shore up Starmer’s position, while David Lammy, deputy prime minister, and Jonathan Reynolds, chief whip, called colleagues to try to organise a show of support."}],[{"start":147.75,"text":"Downing Street struck a defiant tone on Monday night, announcing six appointments to replace the parliamentary private secretaries who had quit or publicly demanded Starmer’s exit."}],[{"start":158.85,"text":"One of the prime minister’s allies said: “He’s in a very bad place, but he’s an incredibly stubborn human being and he knows he can beat Wes [Streeting] if it’s just a two-way fight. But the prospect of a leadership contest is just going to make us look ridiculous, dragging out for weeks.”"}],[{"start":176.04999999999998,"text":"Defence secretary John Healey urged Starmer to do what was right for the country and party and avoid a chaotic leadership process, though he stopped short of calling on the prime minister to set out a timetable for his exit, according to a person familiar with the matter."}],[{"start":190.89999999999998,"text":"A growing number of ministers privately forecast that Starmer’s premiership is all but over. “He’s toast,” said one."}],[{"start":199.04999999999998,"text":"Starmer’s allies said there appeared to be a co-ordinated campaign to force the prime minister to step down. A swift leadership contest would suit Streeting because his principal rival, Burnham, is not an MP at present and is therefore unable to stand. "}],[{"start":214.45,"text":"Starmer’s allies told the FT that supporters of Streeting and Burnham appear to be co-ordinating with each other to try to topple Starmer, even if they want a leadership contest on different timescales."}],[{"start":226,"text":"Earlier on Monday, Starmer in his speech said he would fight to remain in office and stand if a race was triggered. "}],[{"start":232.45,"text":"He accepted the blame for the local and devolved election results but insisted he was going nowhere, vowing: “I’m not going to walk away.” "}],[{"start":241.79999999999998,"text":"Starmer’s team had been relieved when Catherine West, a former minister, abandoned her plan to put herself forward as a “stalking horse” candidate, which could have precipitated a rapid leadership contest. She later said about 10 MPs have privately asked to join her list demanding a leadership contest."}],[{"start":258.15,"text":"In his speech in central London, Starmer vowed to fight any bid to topple him, claiming the country would never forgive Labour if it indulged in the “chaos” of a leadership contest. "}],[{"start":269.65,"text":"He raised hopes of further integration with the EU, saying he hoped an EU-UK summit this summer would be a “big leap forward” for relations. "}],[{"start":279.59999999999997,"text":"Starmer is finalising the King’s Speech, when on Wednesday the monarch will set out 30 bills showing Labour’s priorities in government for the coming year. Allies hope the legislative package will help him regain momentum. "}],[{"start":null,"text":"
"}],[{"start":null,"text":"