Shropshire Labour MP says Keir Starmer must 'urgently change course' after 'devastating' election results

Julia Buckley, MP for Shrewsbury, was speaking after her party suffered a series of bruising defeats in Thursday’s (May 7) elections.

Labour lost nearly 1,500 council seats, as well as control of the Welsh Government.

Mrs Buckley, who was elected in 2024 as part of Keir Starmer’s landslide election victory, said his Government now needed to listen carefully to the message from the public.

She said the Prime Minister must set out a change in policy direction when he addresses MPs in the coming week - or set out plans to step down for a replacement.

Mrs Buckley said “hard-working” councillors who had championed their communities for years had paid the price for national sentiment in the elections.

She said: “The local election results on Thursday were devastating especially for Labour colleagues across the Midlands and our neighbours over the border in Wales.

“We have lost excellent, hard-working councillors who were community champions for many years, as they were punished for national policy decisions, leadership mistakes and weak communication.”

Mrs Buckley said she had shared her own views with the party’s leadership, and urged the Government to reflect and “urgently change course”.

She said: “I listened to the frustration from my local Labour Party members this weekend, and from many of my constituents who have been stopping me in the street to voice their concerns.

“So I have today fed in my views to the national Labour Party leadership.

“The public have sent Labour a very clear warning message about our national performance, and the Government must listen carefully to it.

“The Prime Minister has shown serious leadership on the global stage in the face of instability and conflict, and that work matters enormously for Britain’s security and economy.

“But strong leadership abroad must now be matched by stronger delivery at home.

“This is the moment to listen, reflect, and urgently change course.

“Our Labour Party needs to shift our policies to become more in tune with our core values of community and compassion and help those who are most vulnerable.

“It’s time to speak up for people struggling with living costs, SEND, access to care and isolation.

“I have repeatedly asked for more public transport to connect rural communities like ours, more funding to support apprenticeships, small businesses and to redress the WASPI pension injustice. These are all examples of everyday policies that would improve daily lives in communities like ours.

“I will be listening to Keir Starmer’s speeches this week, seeking a clear commitment to a change in policy direction.

“If he is not able to boldly embrace our core values, so people at home can feel the benefits of this Labour Government’s domestic agenda by the end of the year, then Keir must do the right thing, put the country first and announce an orderly transition to a new leader.”

Telford’s Labour MP, Shaun Davies, was contacted for comment.