Nadia Whittome, the 29-year-old Labour MP for Nottingham East, has publicly called for Sir Keir Starmer to step down as Prime Minister and Labour leader. Speaking candidly on the Ali Milani Live podcast on November 21, 2025, Whittome declared Starmer’s position “untenable.” She insisted even a total change of direction wouldn’t restore trust due to his “credibility deficit.”
“I think it’s clear we’re way beyond that point now,” Whittome said. “Even if Keir Starmer had a radical change of direction, I don’t think people would believe him, and I don’t think the people around him would allow that to happen. So I think there has to be a change in leadership, a change in personnel in Number 10, and a completely different direction for the party.”
Starmer Faces Backbench Revolt and Plummeting Polls
Whittome’s outspoken intervention follows Norwich South MP Clive Lewis’s call for Starmer to go, offering up his own seat to make way for Andy Burnham’s leadership bid. Lewis branded Starmer’s position “untenable” on Channel 4 News back on November 15, urging Labour bigwigs to facilitate Burnham’s return to Westminster.
The party’s woes come amid grim polling. Latest YouGov data shows Labour languishing at 22%, while Starmer’s personal approval rating sits at a dismal minus 54%. A looming Budget announcement and a 32-MP rebellion over contentious migration reforms only deepen Starmer’s troubles.
Left-Wing MPs Rally as Labour Splits Deepen
Whittome, elected in 2019 with a comfortable majority, has long been critical of Starmer’s centrist leadership. She has slammed his record on Gaza policy, welfare cuts, and migration reforms. In an October 17 social media post, she called migration changes “shameful” and “dystopian,” accusing the party of ripping up rights for vulnerable people.
The Tribune Group, representing over 80 soft-left Labour MPs, reportedly feels “patience is wearing thin,” alarmed by poll numbers consistently below 20%. However, no formal leadership challenge has yet materialised, with factional divides stalling any coordinated effort.
Starmer Allies Dismiss Backbench Dissent as Fringe
Starmer’s supporters describe the rebellion as a small, predictable rump of critics. Health Secretary Wes Streeting labelled Lewis’s offer of his own seat “peculiar” and “self-serving,” insisting Labour remains united behind the leadership. Yet the rise of Reform UK polling at 28% and Greens at 12% hints Labour’s challenges extend beyond internal squabbles.
Andy Burnham dodged leadership questions, saying he is focused on his Greater Manchester mayoralty and criticising Westminster’s political culture. “I don’t know what the future holds,” he said, refusing to rule out future bids.
What’s Next for Labour?
The fractious party now faces a crucial electoral test in May 2026’s local elections. Failure there could spark a full-blown leadership crisis as star MPs like Whittome continue to turn up the heat.
Despite public calls for change, no resignations have come yet. But with two MPs openly demanding Starmer’s exit within days, whispers of wider backbench unrest grow louder. Labour’s fortunes hang in the balance as it battles plummeting polls, Budget uncertainties, and fierce internal dissent.
