Furious Labour MPs today demanded Sir Keir Starmer ‘change course’ as they savaged the Prime Minister over winter fuel payment cuts and tax hikes.
The Prime Minister suffered a backlash from within his own ranks after Reform UK won a House of Commons by-election in Runcorn and Helsby.
Nigel Farage‘s party also came close in several previously safe Labour areas in local elections – prompting even one of Sir Keir’s own newly re-elected mayors to hit out.
Ros Jones said the PM had to start listening to those calling for a U-turn on cuts to winter fuel payments and disability benefits, as well as national insurance hikes for firms.
The Doncaster mayor lashed out after retaining her Yorkshire mayoralty by just 698 over Reform candidate Alexander Jones.
Reform also came a close second in mayoral races in North Tyneside and West of England.
These were two areas where opinion polls suggested Labour was either safe or facing competition from the Greens.
Left-wing Labour MPs said the Government’s first 10 months in power ‘haven’t been good enough’.
They warned that Reform was ‘waiting in the wings’ to form the next government if Sir Keir failed to improve people’s living standards.
Ros Jones said the Prime Minister had to start listening to those calling for a U-turn over issues like cuts to winter fuel payments and disability benefits
Speaking to the BBC after her win, Ms Jones said: ‘I think the result here tonight will demonstrate they (ministers) need to be listening to the man, woman and businesses on the street and actually deliver for the people, with the people.’
Asked what they should be listening to concerns about, she cited the winter fuel payment, which was made means-tested by Chancellor Rachel Reeves last year.
Ms Jones added: ‘They need to look again because putting up the cost of national insurance increases hitting some of our smaller businesses and of course the PIP (disability benefit payment) which we know many people are worried about now.’
Ms Jones has been the mayor of Doncaster since 2013 and has now been re-elected for a fourth term in office.
While she won comfortably at the previous election in 2021 with the Tories finishing second, this result was much closer, with Conservative Nick Fletcher third.
While it is not possible to make a direct comparison with 2021, because a different voting system was used this time, the Reform and Conservative candidates took more than 57 per cent of the votes.
Labour MPs joined Ms Jones in delivering a warning to ministers in the wake of Thursday night’s elections.
In Runcorn and Helsby, Reform secured victory over Labour by six votes in one of the closest parliamentary contests ever – less than a year after Labour won the seat at last July’s general election with 53 per cent of the vote.
Richard Burgon, Labour MP for Leeds East and a former shadow justice secretary, said: ‘Labour’s defeat in Runcorn was entirely avoidable — and is the direct result of the party leadership’s political choices.
‘By pushing policies like cuts to disability benefits and scrapping the winter fuel allowance, the leadership is driving away our own voters — and letting Reform squeeze through.
‘The Labour leadership must urgently change course and govern with real Labour values to deliver the change people are crying out for.
‘It should start by ditching the plans to cut disability benefits and increase taxes on the wealthiest instead.
‘If it fails to deliver that real change, things could get far worse, with Reform waiting in the wings. And the consequences of that would be horrific for those our Party exists to represent.’
Brian Leishman, Labour MP for Alloa and Grangemouth, said: ‘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 or what the people want and if we don’t improve people’s living standards then the next government will be an extreme right wing one.’
Diane Abbott, the veteran Labour MP and former shadow home secretary, said: ‘Labour leadership seems to think that the answer to these catastrophic election results is more of the same, including cuts to winter fuel payments.’
Kim Johnson, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, said: ‘Runcorn is a warning we can’t ignore.
‘Voters want change – and if we don’t offer it with bold, hopeful policies that rebuild trust, the far right will.
‘If we don’t step up now, the alternative won’t be more of the same – it’ll be an extreme right-wing government.’
Former Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who was suspended from the party last year for voting against the Government on the two-child benefit cap, said there had been a ‘tin-eared’ response from ministers to the election results.
‘Labour supporters feel Labour, their party, has turned its back on them citing winter fuel allowance, NI tax on jobs and threat of disability cuts,’ he said.
‘Message to ministers is drop the plans to attack disabled.’
Richard Burgon, Labour MP for Leeds East and a former shadow justice secretary, urged the Government to ‘urgently change course’
Brian Leishman, Labour MP for Alloa and Grangemouth, demanded Sir Keir ‘change course’ and warned the Government’s first 10 months in power ‘haven’t been good enough’
Kim Johnson, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, said: ‘Runcorn is a warning we can’t ignore.’
Diane Abbott, the veteran Labour MP and former shadow home secretary, also issued a warning to ministers
In the West of England, Helen Godwin had 51,197 votes for Labour to win the West of England mayoral contest, ahead of Reform UK’s Arron Banks (45,252)
A Conservative Party spokesman claimed ‘serious questions’ were being asked about Sir Keir’s leadership.
The spokesman said: ‘Ros Jones has barely been re-elected as Labour mayor of Doncaster – and her first move? Publicly tearing into Keir Starmer’s failing government.
‘When even Labour’s own elected mayors are slamming Starmer’s cruel policies – like snatching winter fuel payments from vulnerable pensioners and hammering families with a £3,500 jobs tax – you know the country is heading in the wrong direction.
‘Starmer promised change, but Britain isn’t buying it. His own party isn’t either. Serious questions are now being asked about Starmer’s leadership.’
Labour won the North Tyneside mayoral contest in the first full result of the night, but Karen Clark had a majority of just 444 over Reform UK’s John Falkenstein.
Norma Redfearn had been the Labour mayor in North Tyneside since 2013, but did not stand this time in one of the party’s north-east heartlands.
The result cannot be compared directly with 2021 as a different voting system was used this time – first past the post, the same as for parliamentary elections, when previously voters could express a first and second preference.
But Labour won with 33,119 votes in 2021, with Conservatives on 19,366, Liberal Democrats 3,549 and Ukip on 1,753.
In the West of England, Helen Godwin had 51,197 votes for Labour to win the West of England mayoral contest, ahead of Reform UK’s Arron Banks (45,252) and Green candidate Mary Page (41,094), with Conservative Steve Smith fourth with 34,092 and Liberal Democrat Oli Henman fifth with 28,711.
Mr Banks said there was a ‘tidal wave’ of support for Reform UK.
Speaking in Bristol after his defeat to Labour’s Helen Godwin for the West of England Combined Authority mayoralty, Mr Banks told supporters: ‘This was our least likely place to win and we came up 6,000 votes short.
‘There is a tidal wave going on in the UK at the moment. We have seen Reform victory after Reform victory. It looks like Bristol liked Banksy after all. And we beat the Greens.’
Labour chairwoman Ellie Reeves told Times Radio: ‘Change takes time and we know that people are impatient.
‘We had 14 years of chaos under the Conservatives. Public services and the public finances were left in a state.
‘We’ve had to stabilise the economy, but we’re starting that work. We’ve got our plan for change, we’re beginning to see the results of this, but we know we need to go further and faster.’
