Greater Manchester Labour MP Graham Stringer has said he does not believe Prime Minister Keir Starmer can “survive the Parliament”, urging him instead to set out a timetable for stepping down.
Speaking to GB News, Stringer argued that while an immediate resignation would risk instability in government, a planned departure would allow Labour to organise an orderly leadership transition.
He said: “I think the decent thing for him to do is not to resign immediately as that would leave a huge hole, in the middle of government.
“But he should announce a timetable for him going so the Labour Party could have a proper discussion, debate about what is best for the country what is best for the Labour Party and choose a leader accordingly.”
However, Stringer also acknowledged the difficulty facing critics within the party, admitting he was unsure who should replace Starmer—highlighting the lack of a clear alternative leader among Labour’s internal opposition.
Stringer is a long-serving and often outspoken Labour MP, first elected to Parliament in 1997. He formerly represented the area covering Blackley and Broughton since 2010, a now defunct constituency which included the Broughton area of Salford.
Before entering Westminster, he built a significant political base in Greater Manchester. He served as leader of Manchester City Council from 1984 to 1996 and was a councillor for nearly two decades, playing a key role in the city’s local governance during that period.
He currently represents the constituency of Blackley and Middleton South, having been re-elected at the 2024 general election following boundary changes.
Stringer has a track record of publicly challenging Labour leadership figures. Notably, he was the first Labour MP to call for former Prime Minister Gordon Brown to resign in 2008, and has previously been critical of other party leaders, reinforcing his reputation as an independent voice within the party.
His latest intervention adds to ongoing internal debate within Labour about its direction and leadership heading further into the current Parliament.
