Full Text of Ministers’ Resignation Letters

Jess Phillips has stepped down from her role as safeguarding minister in Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet, becoming the latest senior figure to depart the government. She joins colleagues Miatta Fahnbulleh, Alex Davies-Jones, and Zubir Ahmed in resigning. Below, we publish the full texts of their resignation letters.

Jess Phillips

Dear Keir,

I begin by acknowledging our long collaboration on Violence Against Women and Girls. I am confident that you possess both the genuine understanding and the determination to address this horrific social issue. While we have made progress under this administration, and I appreciate your backing, I feel compelled to note a troubling pattern: substantive shifts in this area have typically only occurred following threats I issued in response to severe missteps.

For instance, the Mandelson controversy forced Number 10 to accelerate its efforts to demonstrate our commitment. I refuse to exploit crises to advance the rights of women and girls, yet demands were made, and some were satisfied. Fundamentally, I believe you are a decent person who cares about the right issues. However, I have witnessed firsthand that good intentions alone are insufficient. The aversion to conflict means we rarely engage in robust debate, causing opportunities for advancement to stall or be delayed.

Over a year ago, I submitted solutions—carefully developed by skilled civil servants—designed to prevent children in the UK from capturing naked images of themselves. Statistics show that 91% of online child sexual abuse is self-generated, involving children who have been groomed, tricked, or exploited. The technology to block such capabilities on every device and phone in the country already exists. We have the power to halt this abuse.

Yet, it took me a full year to secure your agreement merely to threaten legislation in this domain—not to actually legislate, but only to threaten. This exemplifies incremental change, lacking any boldness. The announcement was originally scheduled for March; I remain skeptical of the current promise that it will occur in June, having lost faith in its realization. How many children were left unprotected while we hesitated and worried about appeasing tech executives? This is merely one illustration.

The refrain that Labour governments are rare is prevalent for a reason; they are indeed precious. Every Labour administration during my lifetime and that of my family has driven progress that improved our nation and the world. I know you care deeply, but actions matter more than words. I fear we are not seizing this unique opportunity with the necessary vigor, and I can no longer wait for a crisis to force faster progress.

While decency is essential, and calm curiosity is valuable, we also need fight and drive. We must argue, push back, persuade others, and stand up for what is right. These qualities cannot always be managed through workshop exercises. Politics is as much about emotion as it is about policy, particularly at this moment. I want the Labour government to succeed and will continue to strive for its popularity, as I always have. However, I do not see the transformation I, and the country, expect. Consequently, I cannot continue to serve as a minister under the current leadership.

Best wishes,

Jess Phillips MP

Miatta Fahnbulleh

Dear Prime Minister,

I am writing to resign from my position as Minister for Devolution, Faith and Communities. I take great pride in the work accomplished within this Government.

In my previous role as Minister for Energy Consumers, I secured energy bill discounts for six million families and initiated our Warm Homes Plan. In my current capacity, I have overseen the rollout of the transformative Pride in Place Programme, delivered a generational shift in power through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, and led critical efforts to combat the rising tide of hate and division within our communities.

It has been a privilege to contribute to a government that is working diligently at every level to deliver the change our country requires. Although progress has been made...

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-05-12 16:59:57 UTC