British PM Starmer dealt new setback as another minister resigns

This follows his centre-left Labour party finishing third in a crunch by-election on Feb 26. Read more at straitstimes.com.

LONDON – Beleaguered British Prime Minister Keir Starmer suffered a fresh setback on Feb 28 after another minister in his struggling government resigned.

It came hot on the heels of his centre-left Labour party finishing a humiliating third in a crunch by-election on Feb 26 in a former heartland seat, ratcheting up the pressure on Mr Starmer.

The latest ministerial departure also follows the embattled British leader defying calls within his own party to resign earlier in February, in the wake of numerous policy U-turns and missteps.

That included appointing Mr Peter Mandelson, who had longstanding links to the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as Britain’s ambassador in Washington.

Mr Starmer fired him months into the role after new details about the extent of Mr Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein emerged, creating a firestorm in Britain that threatened to topple the Labour leader.

In the latest controversy, Labour MP Josh Simons said he had resigned as a minister in the Cabinet Office, which helps deliver the government’s agenda, because he had “become a distraction” from that work.