Four top Labour figures could beat Starmer in a leadership race, poll finds | UK news
Andy Burnham, Ed Miliband, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting will win a neck-and-neck leadership contest against Keir Starmer, according to a poll of Labor Party members.
Research conducted by Survation for LabourList found Burnham and Rayner would defeat the prime minister by significant margins, while Streeting and Miliband would have a slight advantage but within the margin of error.
The poll also found 54 per cent of members say a new Labor leader should be in office before the next general election. While 41 percent of those who support Starmer taking the leadership seat in 2020 say that a new leader should be in office, 40 percent want him to stay.
The poll revealed a divide among those who supported both candidates in the latest deputy leadership contest; 69% of Lucy Powell supporters want a new leader by the next election, while 51% of Bridget Phillipson supporters want Starmer to remain leader.
Emma Burnell, editor of LabourList, said: “Starmer’s team have made it clear that he would be involved in a leadership contest should one arise. Of course, that was a week ago and we all know that’s a long time in politics.”
“If it comes to that point, Starmer may decide that a contest in which he enters and is likely defeated would do too much damage to the party in the long term.”
The research found that if Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, entered a leadership contest, he would beat Starmer by the largest margin of any potential rival – 26 percentage points. Burnham will need to return to Westminster as a Labor MP to challenge the party leadership.
Former deputy prime minister Rayner would also defeat Starmer by 19 points, receiving 52% of the vote compared to the prime minister’s 33%. Last weekend, Rayner’s allies said he would seek to renew his public profile in the coming months and possibly enter a future leadership contest.
Streeting, the health secretary, may beat Starmer by 33% to 31%, but the result is within the margin of error and effectively a dead ring.
Both candidates would need to win the 36% of members who say they wouldn’t be sure who to support in such a contest. Earlier this month, Streeting denied leading a plot to oust the prime minister and called for those briefing against him to be sacked.
According to the poll, Miliband, who was leader of the Labor Party from 2010 until his resignation in 2015, would be four points ahead of Starmer if a leadership contest was held.
Burnell added: “Starmer’s two leading rivals both face significant challenges. Rayner, unfortunately, may not have had enough time since he resigned.”
“Burnham, because he faces many obstacles to becoming a candidate. If things go quickly, he may not be able to return to parliament in time to stand. This may give hope to Starmer and his team. He will feel much safer if there is no obvious candidate who can beat him.”
