British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will not set a timetable for his resignation despite mounting pressure within the Labour Party following poor local election results, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said on Monday.

Labour’s losses in the May 7 local elections have intensified internal party tensions, with nearly a quarter of Labour lawmakers reportedly calling for Starmer to step aside. The outcome has also emboldened potential leadership challengers and unsettled financial markets, with reports of rising government borrowing costs.

“There will be no timetable for departure,” Lammy told Sky News, adding that he had spoken with the Prime Minister twice on Sunday.

The leadership debate has been further fuelled by speculation around possible successors. Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who resigned last week, has indicated he would enter any formal leadership contest, while Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is also positioning himself as a potential challenger, pending a return to Parliament.

Under Labour Party rules, a leadership contest can be triggered if at least 81 MPs—equivalent to 20% of the parliamentary party—formally nominate an alternative candidate.

Starmer has maintained that he intends to resist any internal challenge and continue in office.