Sir Keir Starmer came under fire live on GB News this morning as commentators criticised his leadership following Labour’s bruising local election results. Show host Cameron Walker kicked off the discussion by pointing out the growing unrest within the Labour party, saying: “We’ve heard this morning Jo White – that influential Labour MP – coming out and saying that Sir Keir Starmer needs to stop pussyfooting around.”

Political journalist Alys Denby was quick to to share her thoughts on White’s powerful putdown. She stated: “Strong words here from Jo White, who I think leads the Red Wall caucus of MPs. What we’re really seeing is how quickly Labour have really messed up, how unpopular they’re becoming.”

Despite entering Downing Street just ten months ago with a strong majority, Starmer is now facing increasing criticism from both the British public and his own MPs.

Denby acknowledged the shift, saying: “Keir Starmer, with this huge majority, is now facing some serious discontent on his backbenches. I think he’s probably going to have to do a reshuffle very quickly.”

She went on to note that Jo White’s recent Telegraph article seemed to borrow ideas from the Reform party, including attacks on Ed Miliband’s net zero strategy and the proposal for digital ID systems.

“It shows how fractured the political landscape has become,” Denby added. “We’re now seeing a five-party system emerge.”

Thursday’s local elections have shaken the Labour party as Reform UK made historic gains, with 17 percent of voters swinging from Labour to Reform. The right wing party also won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by six votes after the region had been a Labour heartland for years.

Labour MP Brian Leishman has declared: “Runcorn shows Labour must change course. People voted for real change last July and an end to austerity. The first 10 months haven’t been good enough.”

Veteran MP Diane Abbott called the evening the results came in a “disastrous night” and condemned proposed cuts to winter fuel payments, comparing them to the Tories’ infamous poll tax.

MP Richard Burgon added to the internal criticism of Labour’s recent political moves, labelling the defeat in Runcorn “entirely avoidable” and accusing the leadership of “driving away our own voters” through cuts to disability benefits and scrapping winter fuel support.