What is a vote of no confidence? How many Labour MPs would be needed to topple Keir Starmer

A VOTE of no confidence is one of the ways MPs can bring down a government, which can force a PM to resign or lead to a general election.

Amid speculation over Keir Starmer’s future, here’s everything you need to know about how the process works and what it would take to topple him.

What is a vote of no confidence?

A vote of no confidence is a formal motion in the House of Commons stating that MPs no longer have confidence in the government to run the country.

By long-standing parliamentary convention, when the leader of the opposition tables a motion of no confidence, the government finds time for it to be debated.

If the motion passes – meaning a majority of voting MPs back it – one of two things could happen.

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The Prime Minister would either be expected to resign, potentially allowing an alternative government to be formed.

Or the PM could request a dissolution from the Monarch, which would trigger a general election if granted.

The most dramatic example came on March 28, 1979, when Jim Callaghan’s Labour government fell from office by a single vote – 311 to 310 – paving the way for Margaret Thatcher to become Prime Minister.

In 2022, the Fixed-term Parliaments Act was repealed and replaced with the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act.

This handed the Prime Minister back the power to call an election, but MPs still retain the right to launch a no-confidence vote.

Could Keir Starmer really be toppled?

In theory, yes – but the maths is tough for any would-be plotter.

Labour currently holds a working majority of 165 in the House of Commons, according to UK Parliament figures.

Any successful Commons no-confidence motion would require around 83 Labour MPs to vote with the opposition, assuming the rest of the House divided on party lines.

The embattled PM could face an attempt to remove him from No. 10 if Labour are crushed in the local elections on Thursday, May 7.

But a senior ally of Keir Starmer said: “The PM won’t quit – even if Cabinet ministers tell him.”

Another added: “People seem to expect Keir to roll over and quit if the Cabinet goes in. But he won’t. He will stay and fight a leadership contest if he has to.”