Evening briefing Tuesday 12th May

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0:34This is the Times evening briefing for Tuesday 12th May. I'm Will Hobbs. A fourth minister has resigned and called on Sakhir Starmer to step aside. Zubir Ahmed, a health minister, an ally of West Streeting, said it was with a heavy heart that he had asked the Prime Minister to set a timetable for an expedient and orderly transition. Jess Phillips, Alex Davies Jr. and junior minister Miata van Bulla also resigned today. Times Radio understands at least two more ministers are considering doing the same. Times Radio's political editor is Anna Mihailova. He wouldn't actually discuss either the elections or the calls about his leadership at Cabinet and wanted to focus it all on the Middle East.

1:15Afterwards, Wes Streeting actually tried to come and talk to Keir Starmer and he was refused the meeting. So at the moment, you know, in the building behind me, we've got this slightly bizarre situation where a prime minister effectively is refusing to engage with his critics in his own party and even with his own cabinet ministers. 81 Labour MPs must support one candidate for a leadership challenge to be mounted. The Times' chief political correspondent Aubrey Allegretti explains what those on the Prime Minister's side are doing to aid his cause. Indeed, there are still sort of big operations underway by loyalists to the Prime Minister trying to devise a letter that's signed by over 100 backbench MPs to profess their loyalty.

1:58to the Prime Minister and say that he should stay. Labour MPs and their WhatsApp groups who are loyal to the Prime Minister are sharing regular updates about the guilt markets and the increases to borrowing that we've seen, rising to levels not seen since 1998, in a bid to basically try and scare Labour MPs against launching a proper leadership challenge. Over 100 Labour MPs have signed a letter backing the Prime Minister. Suspended Labour MP Karl Turner told Times Radio the number of MPs coming out against Starmer is no surprise. This is self-induced. When you treat the Parliamentary Labour Party with contempt, as the Prime Minister has done, he's not been very warm towards colleagues in the history of his time as leader of the party and indeed Prime Minister, then I'm afraid to say people turn against you when you need them most.

2:48Plaid Cymru's leader has been named the next First Minister of Wales. Reenap Jorworth is the first non-Labour politician to hold the post since the Welsh Parliament was formed 27 years ago. His party won the largest bloc in last week's elections, gaining 43 of the 96 seats. He said he'll be seeking to form a minority government. British No. 2 Jack Draper has brought Sir Andy Murray into his coaching team for the grass court season after parting company with Jamie Delgado, three-time Grand Slam champion Murray, has not been involved on the tour since a six-month stint coaching Novak Djokovic, which ended last year.

3:22Murray will be in Draper's box for Wimbledon, which begins on the 29th of June. And a sloth has been born in Scotland for the first time and named after Sir David Attenborough. Edinburgh Zoo's newest arrival is called Atty, in honour of the broadcaster, who's just turned 100. The creatures typically sleep for around 15 hours a day. You can hear more of these stories throughout the evening on Times Radio.

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