North East Mayor says Starmer on 'borrowed time'
BBCNorth East Mayor Kim McGuinness has said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is on "borrowed time" following the local elections.
Residents across north-east England went to the polls on Thursday for all out council elections which saw Labour's hold on the region decimated.
Reform UK took control of Gateshead, Sunderland and South Tyneside, meanwhile the party became the official opposition in North Tyneside and Newcastle was left without a majority.
Speaking on Politics North, McGuinness said she wanted to see change, but Sir Keir needed to act quickly if he was going to stay.
"[People] have said they have voted for change and they have shown in this election that they are not satisfied and the voters are never wrong - so something has to happen," the Labour mayor said.
"I think Keir Starmer needs a chance to turn things around but he is on borrowed time and that time will expire very, very quickly."
She then clarified that something needed to happen before the Party conference in September, "if not before", and that it was "conceivable" but "unlikely" Sir Keir would be leading them into the next election.
PA Media"What I am saying is actually there have been good things from this Labour government, we recently got the renters' rights bill through which is great for people in this region, we are seeing hospital waiting lists coming down, we are seeing more investment in our region than ever before," McGuinness said.
"However, delivery isn't quick enough, it needs to be better and let's be honest, communication of what they are doing is absolutely shocking - and that is a huge problem as well."
When asked if she would like to see Andy Burnham in charge instead, McGuinness said he would make "a great prime minister" but he was not an MP which "is a critical point at the moment".
Meanwhile speaking to Laura Kuenssberg, Education Secretary and Sunderland MP Bridget Phillipson said she did not believe Labour should be "arguing amongst ourselves, [and] fighting amongst ourselves" following the results.
Looking ahead to the Prime Minister's speech on Monday, Phillipson said Sir Keir "will set out a fresh direction for our country and for our party that will rise to the scale of what we face".
Asked whether she believed Sir Keir would be the Labour Party leader at the next general election, Phillipson said she did.
