Jess Phillips resigns as minister adding pressure on Starmer

Jess Phillips has resigned as safeguarding minister, telling Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer she was "not seeing the change" the country expected and could not serve "under the current leadership".

In a letter, Phillips said opportunities for progress on tackling violence against women and girls had been "stalled and delayed", adding there was "nothing bold" about Sir Keir's approach.

Phillips is one of three ministers to quit as Sir Keir faces a revolt among Labour MPs who are urging him to step down after a dire set of elections last week.

But on Tuesday, Sir Keir told cabinet ministers he would get on with governing and pointed out that a formal leadership challenge had not been triggered.

Several senior ministers rallied around the prime minister following the meeting.

A government source told the BBC that at the meeting Sir Keir told colleagues he would not discuss the election results or his leadership, and would only speak to cabinet ministers about those topics "individually".

The BBC understands several cabinet ministers tried to talk to Sir Keir about his leadership after the cabinet meeting but he declined to speak to them.

In a speech aimed at steadying his tottering premiership on Monday, Sir Keir said "incremental change won't cut it" as he promised to "face up to the big challenges" the country faced.

But in her letter, Phillips said "real change" in her role "usually came from threats made by me in light of catastrophic mistakes".

"I think you are a good man fundamentally, who cares about the right things however I have seen first-hand how that is not enough," Phillips said.

"The desire not to have an argument means we rarely make an argument, leaving opportunities for progress stalled and delayed."

She said it had taken her a year to get the prime minister to agree to "threaten" legislation that would end the ability for children in the UK to take naked images of themselves.

"This is the definition of incremental change," Phillips said. "Nothing bold about it.

"The announcement was meant to be in March, I'm still on a promise this will happen in June, I've given up believing it. How many children were left without a safety net in the time we dilly dallied and worried about tech bosses?"

Phillips said while she recognised Sir Keir cared deeply it was "deeds, not words" that mattered.

"I'm not sure we are grasping this rare opportunity with the gusto that's needed and I cannot keep waiting around for a crisis to push for faster progress," Phillips said.

Signing off her letter, Phillips said: "I want a Labour government to work and I will strive as I always have for its success and popularity, but I'm not seeing the change I think I, and the country expect, and so cannot continue to serve as a minister under the current leadership."

Phillips campaigned reducing the rate of violence against women and girls prior to being appointed minister for safeguarding after the 2024 general election.

Labour promised in its general election manifesto that it would halve the rate of violence against women and girls over the next decade.

Home Office insiders told the BBC there was much frustration among staff at the slow pace of policy implementation - something Philips makes clear in her resignation letter.

Phillips' departure followed Miatta Fahnbulleh's resignation as minister for devolution, faith and communities.

She told the prime minister "to do the right thing for the country and the party and set a timetable for an orderly transition".

Alex Davies-Jones also resigned as minister for victims and violence against women and girls.

She called for "bold, radical action" and similarly urged Sir Keir to set out a timetable for his departure.

A leadership election can only be triggered if the leader resigns, or if Labour MPs launch a challenge when there is no vacancy.

A challenger wishing to oust an incumbent leader must be supported by 20% of Labour MPs, and based on the current number of Labour MPs, 81 would need to support a challenger to formally start the process.

Over 80 Labour MPs have publicly urged Sir Keir to resign immediately or draw up an exit timetable.

The resignations and turmoil in Downing Street come a day before Sir Keir's government is due to set out its legislative agenda in the King's Speech.