Tipsheet

Is Prime Minister Keir Starmer Going to Resign?

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  February 09, 2026 10:30 AM

The release of millions of pages of the Epstein files has led to a major fallout in the U.K., and it may cost Prime Minister Keir Starmer his leadership role. Now there's speculation Starmer may be forced to resign.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is calling on Starmer to resign amid a growing scandal involving Starmer's appointment of Peter Mandelson as the U.K. Ambassador to the U.S., despite the fact that Mandelson had ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Sarwar called Starmer and the controversy a "distraction" ahead of upcoming elections.

"It's not without pain, as I have a genuine friendship with Keir Starmer," Sarwar said. "But my first priority and my first loyalty is to my country, Scotland. And I'm not willing to sacrifice Scotland's NHS, our schools, our communities, our towns, cities, villages, and islands to a third decade of an SNP government. That's why the distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change."

Earlier, Starmer said he wasn't going to resign, reportedly telling the staff at Downing Street, "We go forward from here. We go with confidence as we continue changing the country."

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy also defended Starmer, saying he "won a massive mandate" a year and a half ago to "deliver on Labour's manifesto."

We've all seen how that's going for the U.K. Lammy is the driving force behind the U.K. doing away with jury trials, on the grounds they cost too much and take up too much time. Meanwhile, hordes of Islamic migrants are assaulting British women and girls — the increased violence is something Starmer called a "national emergency" — and the nation has seen the number of reported rapes skyrocket.

Other Labour MPs circled the wagons around Starmer, warning of a "dark, divisive" Britain if Reform takes office.

That "modern, diverse" U.K. isn't working out so well. Hordes of "diverse" Islamic migrants are assaulting British women and girls — the increased violence is something Starmer called a "national emergency" — and the nation has seen the number of reported rapes skyrocket.

Several aides have resigned, including Tim Allan, director of communications.

Starmer's chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, also resigned.

Piers Morgan has also called on Starmer to quit "for the good of the country."

Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan is also set to call for Starmer's resignation.