The future of Labour’s leadership has been thrown into further uncertainty after Wes Streeting resigned as health secretary and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham confirmed he is considering a return to Westminster.
How a contest could be triggered
On Thursday, Makerfield MP Josh Simons announced he is willing to vacate his seat to allow Burnham to contest a by-election, return to Parliament, and challenge Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Simons stated that the Labour Party “owes it to people to come back together” following last week’s local election defeat. This came hours after Streeting sent a scathing resignation letter to Starmer, saying: “Where we need vision, we have a vacuum. Where we need direction, we have drift.”
The developments intensify days of mounting questions over the prime minister’s position and the prospect of a leadership challenge after dismal local election results. But how could a leadership contest be triggered, what would it look like, and who could stand?
Will a Labour leadership contest be triggered?
This depends on Streeting or another leadership hopeful securing the backing of 81 Labour MPs, the threshold required to mount a challenge. It was unclear on Thursday whether he had reached this number, and his resignation letter suggested he would not trigger an immediate contest.
Who else could stand?
In his letter, Streeting said any contest should be “broad,” indicating openness to Burnham standing, though some interpret this as a sign that the ex-minister lacks the numbers to challenge alone. Burnham faces logistical hurdles: he must first win a by-election. Simons announced he would quit Parliament to create a vacancy, but Burnham needs permission from Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee to contest the by-election. He will face a tough fight in a seat where Labour’s 2024 majority was just 5,399 and Reform UK won every ward in last week’s local elections.
Speculation has also intensified that former deputy leader Angela Rayner could stand. She denied striking a pact with Burnham and indicated she might run, telling ITV: “I am not doing deals.” Meanwhile, Starmer insisted he would fight any challenge, a position reiterated by Downing Street on Thursday. Armed forces minister Al Carns and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband have also been tipped as potential candidates.
How would a Labour leadership contest work?
After a hopeful secures 81 backers in the Commons, candidates are put to a vote of party members, who rank them in order of preference. A contender wins if they get more than 50% of first preferences, usually through elimination rounds, with the timetable set by the NEC.
Can Starmer hold on to power?
This depends heavily on his Cabinet’s movements. Starmer told senior ministers there is a formal process for challenging a leader that has not been triggered. However, without Cabinet confidence, it would be nearly impossible for him to continue governing. When Boris Johnson’s authority collapsed in 2022, he tried to cling on by replacing resigning ministers with loyalists, but was forced to resign days after the first Cabinet minister quit.
