Rachael Maskell and Luke Charters comment on Starmer as PM

The Press has approached Labour MPs in the region as to whether or not they support the Prime Minister.

In their responses yesterday, neither Luke Charters or Rachael Maskell expressed direct support for Sir Keir with Ms Maskell saying she would wait to hear what the PM would say to Labour MPs that evening.

Earlier that day both Selby MP Keir Mather and Scarborough and Whitby MP Alison Hume said they were backing Sir Keir staying on as PM.

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This afternoon, Rachael Maskell told the Press: “I was pleased that the Prime Minister spoke with Members of the Parliamentary Labour Party yesterday, to own the decisions that he took and to show regret of the reprehensible behaviours of Peter Mandelson and the repugnant abuse of the women survivors of Jeffrey Epstein.

“Rightly there was deep scrutiny as the stakes are so high for Labour to get governing right. There was optimism raised over the change that must now happen to prevent further occurrences and to reform the operations of the Labour Party.”

“Luke (Charters) continues to support the Labour Government led by Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.” (Image: Pic supplied)

The statement from Ms Maskell, who represents York Central, continued: “He now has got to propel this confidence across the country.”

 “I will be backing Labour every step of the way to succeed, because if we do not change as a result, we let down the very people we are here to fight for, the survivors of sexual abuse; and those gaslit by powerful men.

“Harriet Harman was right to call this out, as I did last week, and to call for candour. I am glad the Prime Minister heeded that call.

“He now needs to change the culture of the Labour Party so it is open, transparent and inclusive; as accountability prevents such errors reoccurring.”

A spokesperson for York Outer MP Luke Charters told the Press this afternoon: “He would not be giving a daily commentary on leadership matters. Luke continues to support the Labour Government led by Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.”

As previously reported, Mr Starmer told Labour MPs last night: “Every fight I’ve been in, I have won.”

In extracts shared by Downing Street, he also said: ‘I’m not prepared to walk away from my mandate and my responsibility to my country, or to plunge us into chaos, as others have done.”

He added: “I’ll tell you this, as long as I have breath in my body, I’ll be in that fight, on behalf of the country that I love and I believe in, against those that want to tear it up.

“That is my fight, that is all of our fight, and we’re in this together.”

However, Thirsk And Malton Conservative MP Kevin Hollinrake told ITN on Monday that Sir Keir’s position is ‘untenable’ after the PM’s advisor Morgan McSweeney resigned.

Mr Hollinrake, who is Conservative Party Chairman, also told BBC Breakfast Sir Keir is “living on borrowed time” and his “tenure is coming to an end.”

The MP also posted on X an interview with LBC radio where he said: “Politics doesn’t like a weak leader and Starmer is the weakest we’ve seen for a long, long time.”