Starmer fights to stave off leadership contest in major speech to save his premiership

Starmer could face leadership challenge as soon as today

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Sir Keir will make his last stand today with a speech that is widely seen as his final chance to convince his party to let him continue. He will say: ‘People need hope. We will face up to the big challenges and we will make the big arguments.’

But he faces the prospect of an immediate leadership battle if surprise ‘stalking horse’ candidate Catherine West gets the required 81 backers – a fifth of Labour MPs – needed to ignite one.

Ms West has indicated she will formally challenge the PM if she is still ‘dissatisfied’ after hearing his latest ‘reset’ speech.

Ms West told the BBC: ‘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.’

She also encouraged women to stand against Sir Keir as there has never been a female Labour leader.

But Cabinet minister Ms Phillipson, sitting next to her in the BBC studio, told her: ‘I love you dearly, Catherine, but I just disagree on this one.’ She also said her colleague’s move was ‘completely wrong’ and doubted if it would go ahead.