Sir Keir Starmer has been forced into hiding, as his own MPs plot a revolt against his leadership.
Sir Keir Starmer is “hiding” from his own MPs as Labour backbenchers plot a revolt against his flailing leadership, it has been claimed. Conservative MP, and Express columnist, Esther McVey launched a blistering attack on the embattled Prime Minister accusing him of going to ground as rebellion ferments on his own benches.
Speaking on the Daily Expresso podcast, the former Cabinet minister painted a devastating picture of a leader “universally disliked” and increasingly isolated from his own party. Ms McVey, the MP for Tatton, said Sir Keir had attempted to stage a comeback at the start of 2026 after months of disasters. She said: “He was hoping to do a relaunch, a ‘Save Starmer’ relaunch.”
Starmer has been accused of ‘hiding’ from MPs (Image: Henry Nicholls/PA Wire)
But the Prime Minister had proved to be “totally irrelevant” both at home and abroad, and “out of touch” with what was actually happening in the world.
Ms McVey claimed Sir Keir was being “frozen out” of major international events, pointing to how he appeared to have been sidelined on the world stage, after President Donald Trump’s daring raid on Venezuela, and the President’s threats to seize Greenland.
She delivered a scathing assessment of the Prime Minister’s standing, saying: “He is universally disliked, and his tactic […] is to hide from his MPs, hide from the media, and hide from the electorate.”
When questioned by Express Deputy Political Editor Steph Spyro about the mood among Labour backbenchers, Ms McVey revealed the Prime Minister was deliberately avoiding his own MPs. She said: “He has been hiding from them,” pointing to Sir Keir’s response on Venezuela, which provoked fury from a slew of his own MPs.
The Conservative MP claimed the Prime Minister had “stayed out of the way” and allowed Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to take the lead instead of fronting up himself. Ms McVey suggested Sir Keir was “too weak” to condemn the US military action in Venezuela because “he wants to be friends with Trump.”
She accused the Labour leader of lacking backbone, saying Sir Keir Starmer “doesn’t have guiding principles” and “doesn’t know what to do.” The Tory MP warned that discontent was now boiling over on the Labour benches, declaring: “It is now open season, his backbenchers feel they can attack him.”
She said even MPs who had been fiercely loyal to the Prime Minister were reaching breaking point after being forced to defend his constant policy reversals. Ms McVey added: “Some of these backbenchers who have been incredibly loyal, have suffered Starmer’s u-turns.”
Esther said there was a ‘revolt’ from Labour MPs (Image: Daily Expresso)
The rebellion is being fuelled by growing anger from constituents, with pub landlords across the country launching campaigns to bar Labour MPs from their premises in protest at crippling business rates hikes. Commenting on the nationwide fury, Ms McVey said: “You can see the pain they are starting to feel.”
She claimed Labour MPs were beginning to realise they needed to act before it was too late, warning that Sir Keir was “destroying the country.” The Conservative MP said she had witnessed firsthand the “agitation” from Labour MPs about their leader’s performance in Parliament.
And in a bombshell claim, Ms McVey suggested plotting was already underway to replace the Prime Minister. She said: “Angela Rayner and Ed Miliband are a combo.” The former Deputy Prime Minister was said to be actively scheming against Sir Keir, Ms McVey claimed, saying Rayner “is plotting.”
But she suggested other names were also being floated as potential replacements among disgruntled Labour MPs. Ms McVey said Labour backbenchers should consider Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood or Health Secretary Wes Streeting as alternatives to the floundering Prime Minister.
She claimed Labour MPs were already “looking to go” with the pair as potential leadership candidates who could rescue the party from electoral oblivion. The explosive allegations come as Sir Keir faces mounting pressure over his handling of multiple crises, from the economy to immigration to Britain’s standing on the world stage.
