The comments made by Paul Foster, the Labour MP for South Ribble, on 12 May 2026.
I want to see Keir Starmer succeed, because if he succeeds, then the country succeeds too.
Under his leadership, we have seen real successes. He brought stability after a turbulent period in British politics and has been a steady pair of hands during challenging economic and international times. For that, and for his service to both the party and the country, he deserves genuine thanks and respect.
But last week’s heartbreaking election results sent a clear message from the public that we cannot ignore.
Politics is ultimately about listening to the people we serve, even when the message is difficult to hear. The results showed that too many voters feel disconnected from my party and its values, and they are unconvinced that we fully understand their frustrations and concerns.
Unfortunately, after much reflection, the Prime Minister’s speech yesterday did little to reassure me that he has the vision needed to reconnect with the country and rebuild public confidence under his leadership.
We need a leader with the vision to take us into the next chapter; someone who can rebuild trust, reconnect with communities across the country and provide the sense of optimism and hope that people are crying out for, while delivering the change we promised in our manifesto.
It pains me to say this because I am a loyal person by nature, and I do not come to this conclusion lightly. But it is with great regret that I believe the party now needs a change of direction and, ultimately, a new leader.