The crisis within the Labour Party under Prime Minister Keir Starmer has officially escalated into a dangerous new phase. Jess Phillips, the Safeguarding Minister at the Home Office, has formally submitted her resignation, becoming one of the most high-profile figures to desert the Cabinet amidst a severe government fracture.

The Exit of a Political Heavyweight

Political analysts view the resignation of Jess Phillips as a “significant blow” to Starmer’s authority. Beyond her ministerial role, Phillips is one of Labour’s most prominent media representatives and a frequent defender of the party in the House of Commons. Notably, she was a major contender in the 2020 Labour leadership race before withdrawing to clear the field for Keir Starmer and Rebecca Long-Bailey.

In her published resignation letter, Phillips expressed personal respect for the Prime Minister, calling him “a good man who cares about the right things.” However, she pointedly remarked: “I have seen firsthand that that is not enough.”

Phillips expressed particular frustration over the government’s lethargy in advancing policies to protect women and girls from violence—her direct area of responsibility. She criticized Starmer for lacking the necessary urgency to seize the opportunity to change the country, noting that Labour governments are “rare” and “precious.”

This marks the second ministerial resignation of the day, following Miatta Fahnbulleh, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Energy. These departures come just 24 hours after six Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPS) resigned, forcing the Prime Minister into a frantic scramble for replacements.

Tensions Boil Over in the Cabinet Room

Leaked information from the Cabinet meeting held shortly before Phillips’ resignation depicts a suffocating atmosphere. Prime Minister Starmer reportedly blocked all attempts to discuss the disastrous local election results or his own leadership. He stated clearly that he “isn’t going anywhere” and ordered anyone with grievances to meet him privately after the session.

However, when Health Secretary Wes Streeting—widely seen as harboring leadership ambitions—attempted to approach the Prime Minister afterward, Starmer refused to speak with him. This snub has intensified scrutiny on Streeting’s next moves.

Mounting Pressure: Over 80 MPs Demand Exit

The number of Labour MPs publicly calling for Starmer’s resignation has now surpassed 80. While no official challenger has yet “fired the starting gun” on a leadership election, dissatisfaction has reached a breaking point.

Internal factionalism is further complicating the crisis. Should Wes Streeting move to topple Starmer, he would face fierce opposition from the party’s left wing. Meanwhile, a formidable force outside of Parliament, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, is looming large. Reports indicate Burnham has canceled local events and taken an emergency train to London, appearing at Euston Station. Sources suggest he is quietly negotiating a deal for a sitting Labour MP to resign, triggering a by-election that would legalize his path to Number 10 Downing Street.

Observers are comparing the collapse of the Starmer Cabinet to the downfall of Boris Johnson in July 2022, where a cascade of resignations eventually rendered the government unable to function. Whether the Prime Minister can continue to plug the holes left by this wave of departures, or if he will suffer the same fate as his predecessors, remains the ultimate question at Westminster.