What to know about contenders who could replace Keir Starmer as Britain’s Labour leader

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s leadership is shaky after Labor suffered heavy defeats in last week’s local elections.

This could be the final straw for a leader already tarnished by his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington despite the veteran politician’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

Dozens of Labor MPs have called for Starmer to resign, making way for a contest to choose a new leader to take over as prime minister.

Starmer insisted he was staying put and a formal leadership challenge has yet to be launched.

While there is no clear leader to replace Starmer, some of the leading candidates for the top job include:

Wes Street

Health Minister Wes Streeting, 43, is considered one of the government’s best communicators and has led the way in improving the creaking NHS, delivering on one of the government’s most important promises.

His ambitions for the top job have long been rumored but came to the fore last year when Starmer’s allies told British media he would fight against attempts to challenge the prime minister’s leadership – and media speculation at the time focused on Streeting.

Streeting, who was elected as an MP in 2015, has vehemently denied plans to replace Starmer and described the proposals as “ridiculous”.

Angela Rayner

Former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has long distinguished herself as a politician of a different kind with her compelling personal story. She grew up in social housing and left school at 16 as a young mother.

Rayner, 46, was active in unions and on the left of the party before being elected as an MP in 2015. He soon rose to the senior ranks of the Labor Party while the party was in opposition and was elected deputy leader in 2020.

Rayner has significant support within the party but was forced to resign from the government last year after admitting he had not paid enough tax on a house purchase. He is currently awaiting the findings of the official review into this controversy.

Following the fallout over the Epstein files’ revelations about Mandelson, Rayner led a rebellion by MPs to force the government to hand over control to Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee to decide which documents should be made public.

Andy Burnham

Former Cabinet minister Andy Burnham, the popular centre-left Greater Manchester mayor, has long been seen as a potential rival to Starmer. But his leadership hopes faded after Labor blocked him from becoming the party’s Parliamentary candidate in a special election in February.

According to long-standing convention, the prime minister must be a member of Parliament. Burnham’s supporters support delaying the leadership contest, which would give her time to return to the House of Commons through a special election.

Burnham, 56, has held senior positions in previous Labor governments, including culture secretary and health minister.

Ed Miliband

Energy Minister Ed Miliband is a former Labor leader, but his five years at the top of the party in opposition resulted in the party’s 2015 election defeat. Miliband, 56, has publicly downplayed his desire to return to work but he is one of the most experienced members of the Cabinet.

Shabana Mahmood

Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood, 45, has one of the toughest jobs in government; to control immigration, law and order. He has become a favorite of many on the Labor right with his moves to tighten border controls and curb unauthorized immigration.