LONDON, June 20 (Xinhua) -- British Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to set a timetable for his departure on Friday, British media reported.
Alexander told Starmer that it would be in the interests of the country and the Labour Party for him to step aside to allow an orderly transition to a new leader, said the Financial Times, quoting "several government members."
It has also been reported that British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood previously called on Starmer to set a date for his departure.
The renewed pressure on Starmer to resign came after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham won a parliamentary by-election in the northwestern English constituency of Makerfield on Friday morning, paving the way for his return to parliament and a possible bid for the Labour Party leadership.
Burnham said during a television debate earlier this month that he would seek to enter any potential Labour leadership contest, should he win the by-election.
Starmer said on Friday that he would fight any leadership challenge, saying: "I'm not going to walk away from that." ■