Jess Phillips' devastating resignation letter in full: 'Standing up and being counted can't always be workshopped'

Jess Phillips, the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley, resigned as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, citing frustration with the government’s slow progress on critical issues. Her resignation follows Miatta Fahnbulleh’s departure earlier this week, as over 80 Labour MPs now demand Keir Starmer’s leadership after the party’s poor performance in the May 7 local elections. Phillips, a vocal Labour figure, criticized Starmer’s approach in her resignation letter, stating that while he is a ‘good man fundamentally,’ his reluctance to confront challenges has stalled meaningful change. She highlighted the government’s delay in addressing child exploitation, specifically the failure to implement technology that could prevent children from sharing self-generated explicit images—a problem where 91% of cases involve groomed or tricked children. The letter accused the government of incremental progress, noting that proposed legislation to block such images on devices was promised in March but remains delayed, with no confirmed timeline. Phillips argued that crises often drive action, leaving her to push for reforms only when failures become public. She also criticized the government’s leadership style, calling for more assertiveness and debate rather than avoidance of conflict. Phillips urged Starmer to embrace bold policies and decisive action, warning that Labour’s rare opportunity to enact significant change is being wasted. Her resignation adds pressure to Starmer’s leadership as Labour faces internal dissent and external criticism over its governance and policy execution. Phillips remains committed to Labour’s success but expressed frustration with the party’s current trajectory.