Will Starmer resign as prime minister and who could replace him?
Sir Keir Starmer is holding on after weathering the toughest day of his premiership so far this week, when Scottish Labor leader Anas Sarwar became the most senior Labor figure to call on him to resign.
The Prime Minister has been in the eye of a political storm ever since he admitted that he was aware of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein even after he was convicted of child sex crimes when he appointed him as US ambassador.
Figures from across the political spectrum, including MPs from his own party, are questioning the prime minister’s decision, with some declaring that he is “over”.
The departure on Sunday of Morgan McSweeney, who was responsible for becoming leader of Sir Keir’s Labor Party, the architect of the subsequent election victory and the central figure in running the government, failed to quell growing questions about whether the prime minister can continue in his role.
The Prime Minister was also affected by the resignation of Downing Street communications director Tim Allan, which further raised doubts over his future.
But the heat on Sir Keir grew louder on Monday when previously loyalist Mr Sarwar called on him to resign, saying he had made “too many mistakes” over the Mandelson-Epstein scandal. Sir Keir responded defiantly, saying he wouldn’t be going anywhere, before telling a meeting of Labor MPs: “I’ve won every fight I’ve ever been in.”
The lack of a concerted effort by MPs to sack Sir Keir, and the Cabinet publicly backing him on Monday afternoon, suggests the immediate danger may have passed.
But it only takes one candidate to muster 20 per cent of MPs to oppose him, and Sir Keir is in serious trouble. So who could this person be and could he unite a warring side?
Angela Rayner
The former deputy prime minister is openly being discussed as Sir Keir’s replacement, despite resigning less than six months ago over personal tax payments.
Angela Rayner raised eyebrows when she stood in the House of Commons on Wednesday and made clear she would vote against the government’s attempt to restrict the publication of any review papers into Lord Mandelson’s appointment.
Ms Rayner, the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester, is seen as a potential successor to Sir Keir or, if she is not running herself, as someone whose support could have a significant impact on the outcome of any contest.
Many in the unions were eagerly awaiting Ms. Rayner to get the top job and were already planning her return days after her resignation. He is believed to have been preparing for a competition last month, saying “I’m not dead yet”.
Last week the prime minister suggested Ms Rayner had a “future role” in the government and said he wanted to bring her back to the front line “at the right point”.
Andy Burnham
Andy Burnham has been the most talked about threat to Sir Keir’s leadership in recent months, and speculation about a potential challenge has increased since mid-2025.
Over the past year, Mr Burnham has repeatedly failed to reject Labour’s leadership bid and has regularly been put forward as the leading candidate to take over should Sir Keir’s position as prime minister become untenable.
He was the focus of such rumors when he announced at the Labor Party conference in September that MPs were calling on him to challenge Sir Keir.
Tensions came to a head earlier this month when the north-west parliamentary seat became up for grabs following the resignation of Gorton and Denton MP Andrew Gwynne.
The mayor of Greater Manchester applied to run under the Labor Party banner in the historically safe seat but was blocked by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
Critics have accused Sir Keir and his allies of blocking Mr Burnham’s candidacy for factional reasons, fearing a leadership challenge from the mayor as both Labour’s poll ratings and personal approval ratings falter.
Wes Street
There is widespread speculation that supporters of health secretary Wes Streeting will launch a bid to replace Sir Keir after months of uncertainty and woes in the polls.
Just this week, as questions about Sir Keir’s future reached a fever pitch, the health secretary took the controversial decision to publish correspondence between himself and Lord Mandelson containing serious criticism of the Prime Minister’s economic and Middle East policies.
The publication breached collective responsibility and would normally lead to dismissal, but Mr Streeting justified it by saying it was necessary to deal with “smears” made about his relationship with his disgraced former Labor colleague.
However, many saw this as a clear attempt to distance himself from the Prime Minister and make it clear that he was ready to take up his post when the time came.
It follows a briefing war in Downing Street in recent months, targeting the health secretary over his ambition to replace Sir Keir.
Earlier this month, it was also reported that senior figures were pushing for Mr Streeting to be removed from the Cabinet for disloyalty, as divisions in the prime minister’s senior team deepened.
Mr Streeting has previously expressed concerns about the government’s direction and spoke of a “toxic culture” at No 10 when briefings against him were made public in November.
The 43-year-old health minister is charismatic and the only cabinet minister who can connect with the public unless junior doctors are on strike.
The former National Union of Students’ chief weakness is that he is seen as far to the right of the party, but he remains a more charismatic version of Sir Keir, less wary of comparisons with the Conservative Party.
Shabana Mahmood
Another candidate put forward for the top job is the home secretary, who was actually backed by former prime minister Tony Blair last year.
Amid previous speculation that Sir Keir might be forced to resign as prime minister, Shabana Mahmood has emerged as a frontrunner to replace him.
Their biggest problem seems to be Mr. Streeting. Like him, she is seen as being on the right of the party, and it is unlikely that either will run.
Ed Miliband
The left is looking for a candidate, and there’s a good chance they’ll turn to someone who’s tried to be a leader before.
The 56-year-old is seen as a hate figure in the right-wing press for his net zero policies, but this is only seen as a plus for party members.
Mr Miliband, who resembles former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, has found a new life and purpose after leadership. He is now the herald of green energy and net zero when the world needs it.
The cowardly and diminished man who defeated the party in 2015 is gone; He was replaced by a man who was a serious candidate to lead the party again with new vigor.
