Here's what Sunderland MP Bridget Phillipson said after calls for prime minister to quit
“I know what kind of person he is and I’m backing him to bring the change we promised”
The words of education secretary and Sunderland MP Bridget Phillipson who has backed prime minister Sir Keir Starmer after calls for him to step down.
The prime minister’s position is under threat after scrutiny over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US, despite his known connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The prime minister has come under increasing pressure to resign after his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, resigned saying he took "full responsibility" for advising the prime minister to appoint Lord Mandelson.
Yesterday (February 9) Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar called on the prime minister to quit.
In a dramatic press conference, Sarwar said the situation in Downing Street was "not good enough" and that "too many mistakes" had been made at the top of government.
Last night, the prime minister met with Labour MPs in Parliament in a bid to gain support from his party and to stave off further calls for him to quit.
Following the meeting the Houghton and Sunderland South MP Bridget Phillipson posted a video and messages of support for the prime minister.
She said: “The first time I saw Keir Starmer, I was running a women’s refuge and he was the Director of Public Prosecutions bringing forward changes to help women and girls see justice.
“I know what kind of person he is and I’m backing him to bring the change we promised.
“Last week, we voted to lift 450,000 children out of poverty and selected 500 schools to get free breakfast clubs. That's the change we should be focused on, that's the change voters want, and it's only possible because Keir Starmer secured a five year mandate.
“Whilst I have enormous respect for Anas and I’ve known him for a long time, I just profoundly disagree with him on this. I just don’t think it’s the right approach and I do believe Keir is the right person to lead our country - he must see it through.”
Following the meeting with his Labour MPs, Sir Keir said: “I have had my detractors every step along the way, and I've got them now.
"But I'll tell you this, after having fought so hard for the chance to change our country, I'm not prepared to walk away from my mandate and my responsibility to my country, or to plunge us into chaos, as others have done."