Andy Burnham is the runaway favourite to replace Sir Keir Starmer as PM among Labour party members
Andy Burnham is streets ahead of his rivals vying to replace Sir Keir Starmer, according to a Mail on Sunday poll of party members who will vote in any contest.
The poll by Find Out Now leaves the mayor of Manchester (pictured jogging yesterday) with the Prime Minister when members were asked to name their preferred leader.
But as Sir Keir agonizes over how to manage his political exit, the figures will reinforce the growing perception that Labor will crown Mr Burnham as leader.
In the small-sample poll conducted after Mr Burnham announced he would stand in the Makerfield by-election, both Mr Burnham and the Prime Minister were on 36 per cent, well ahead of Angela Rayner on 7 per cent, Ed Miliband on 4 per cent and Wes Streeting on 2 per cent.
The figures highlight the difficult road ahead for Mr Streeting in the leadership contest.
His Blairite background and past associations with Peter Mandelson hurt him among Left-leaning party members.
The former Health Minister’s ill-concealed ambitions also appear to have damaged his chances.
After resigning from the Cabinet on Thursday, he appeared to be struggling to rally enough MPs to launch a campaign, before formally announcing yesterday that he would join any leadership challenge.
Andy Burnham is streets ahead of his rivals vying to replace Sir Keir Starmer, according to a Mail on Sunday poll of party members who will vote in any contest.
A chart showing the candidates Labor Party members hope will be the next Prime Minister
More than a third of Labor Party members believe Keir Starmer should resign immediately and almost two-thirds believe Andy Burnham will win the Makerfield by-election
Armed Forces Minister Al Carns, who is also preparing to run for a contest, has just 1 percent support among members.
Labor members also say they are confident Mr Burnham will win the Makerfield by-election – by a margin of more than two to one.
A wider survey of all voters shows 54 per cent think Sir Keir should resign as Prime Minister.
While 37 percent of them want him to leave immediately, 17 percent want him to set a timetable for his departure. Only 23 percent think it should stay.
Early predictions put the Makerfield by-election on a knife edge for Mr Burnham.
Modeling by pollster Survation suggests he would win 45 per cent of the vote if he runs for the seat, compared to 42 per cent for the candidate representing Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
