Among those who have called on Starmer to quit are four government aides who have resigned.

According to British media, foreign minister Yvette Cooper and interior minister Shabana Mahmood told Starmer he should oversee an orderly transition of power.

Joe Morris, who was a parliamentary private secretary to Health Secretary Wes Streeting -- widely rumoured to be considering a leadership challenge -- wrote on X that it was "now clear that the prime minister no longer has the trust or confidence of the public to lead this change".

Another, Tom Rutland, who was an aide to Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds, said Starmer had "lost authority" among Labour MPs and "will not be able to regain it".

Melanie Ward, who was an assistant to Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, called for new leadership.

"Keir Starmer did important work to change the Labour Party," she said, but added: "the message from last week's elections was clear; the Prime Minister has lost the confidence of the public to lead this change."