Starmer faces resignation calls as Trump predicts departure and Burnham prepares to take over

Donald Trump has declared that Keir Starmer “will resign” as prime minister, accusing him of “failing badly” on two subjects – immigration and energy – in a Truth Social post that Downing Street will find deeply embarrassing. The US president wrote: “He failed badly on two very important subjects – immigration and energy (Open North Sea oil!). I wish him well!” The intervention comes as Starmer faces mounting pressure from his own party after Andy Burnham’s decisive by-election victory in Makerfield, where the former Greater Manchester mayor won more than half the vote with a bigger majority than Labour achieved in the 2024 landslide. In his victory speech, Burnham made his most explicit statement yet about his intentions, declaring: “This result will bring about a country that works fairly for everywhere and everybody,” adding that Makerfield had “voted for hope” and calling the result “a final chance to change” for the unpopular Labour government. Burnham has the nominations needed to trigger a leadership challenge, according to reporting from the New Statesman’s political editor. The pressure on Starmer has intensified to the point where some in his Cabinet are reportedly telling him to set a timetable for his departure by the end of the weekend. Business secretary Peter Kyle, who has not spoken to the prime minister since Friday, when he had a “frank conversation” with him, told broadcasters that Starmer was reflecting on the “political realities” he faces, but added: “I have nothing to believe that they are true. I’m seeing a lot of speculation out there.” No 10 insists Starmer’s position remains unchanged from Friday, when he said he would not “walk away” and would stand in any potential contest. However, one source told The Independent that Starmer is discussing a plan to hand over the Labour leadership to Burnham in September, allowing him to “secure his legacy”. The relationship between Starmer and Trump broke down over the prime minister’s refusal to approve direct military involvement in the US-Israel war on Iran, with the US president repeatedly lashing out at him and labelling him “no Winston Churchill” because of his cautious leadership style. Starmer, who had earlier sought to stay on the right side of the erratic president for preferential trade terms, now faces a race against time to control his own fate.