Keir Starmer is fighting for his political survival as potential Labour leadership rivals, including Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner, begin positioning themselves for a contest. The prime minister hopes to save his job with a speech on Monday promising to tackle big challenges in growth, energy, defence, and Europe. However, his prospects appear to be fading after about 40 Labour MPs called for him to set a date to step down, including many backers of Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham.
Leadership Contenders Circling
Following disastrous local election results where Labour lost support to Reform UK and the Greens, leadership contenders are circling. An ally of Streeting stated: 'Wes isn't going to challenge Keir but he is preparing in case it all falls apart.' The health secretary has conveyed this message to Number 10 but does not want to be the first to move against the prime minister, though some allies are pushing for a challenge after Starmer's speech.
Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister, has set out her prescription for change and warned Starmer he needs to 'meet the moment.' Her supporters say she is not set on being a candidate but is prepared for a leadership run. She also backed a return to parliament for Burnham, who would be the leading candidate to replace Starmer if he could run for a seat.
Government Response
Speaking on behalf of the government, Business Secretary Peter Kyle said it was 'possible' for Starmer to win back areas lost to Reform UK, but he needed to show boldness in his speech. 'I do believe it is possible. I am not saying that it is easy, and I'm not saying it will happen. I'm saying it can,' Kyle told Sky News. He added that the government had 'dwelt too much in the challenge' and needed to counter pessimism with new efforts over Europe.
Many of those calling on Starmer to set a departure date were Burnham supporters, but their demands risk backfiring as a swift challenge would favour Streeting, Rayner, or other cabinet contenders like Ed Miliband.
Stalking Horse Challenge
Labour backbencher Catherine West is gathering names for a 'stalking horse' challenge if the prime minister does not set a timetable to quit, aiming to persuade other candidates to come forward. West is not seen as a viable candidate but seeks 80 supporters among Labour MPs to trigger an immediate contest. Burnham's backers have tried to persuade her to withdraw, as it would not leave him enough time to enter parliament. 'It's not gone to plan. This wasn't meant to benefit Wes,' said one Burnham supporter. Another MP described West's intervention as chaotic and 'like one of those free-running horses at the Grand National.'
Starmer's Attempt to Halt Speculation
Starmer will attempt to stop speculation with a speech promising to define his government by 'putting Britain at the heart of Europe.' He will say: 'To meet the challenges that our country faces, incremental change won't cut it. On growth, defence, Europe, energy – we need a bigger response than we anticipated in 2024, because these are not ordinary times.' He will add: 'This Labour government will be defined by rebuilding our relationship and by putting Britain at the heart of Europe. So that we are stronger on the economy, on trade, on defence, you name it.'
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson defended the prime minister, telling the BBC it would be wrong to remove him, even though voters had given the party a 'real kicking.' Few Labour MPs appear to think Starmer can regain his authority. One cabinet source said: 'There is a residual loyalty to Keir but [the cabinet] are at end of their tether.'
Internal Fury and Potential Contenders
Labour MPs are furious with Starmer for his lacklustre response to the crisis. Facing a threat to his job, Starmer gave an interview to the Observer saying he wanted to serve for two terms or 10 years. He has also attempted to refresh his government by bringing back former prime minister Gordon Brown as an adviser on finance and former deputy leader Harriet Harman as an adviser on women and girls.
One MP who would like to see Burnham return said: 'He's got the hide of a rhino, and he's not reading the room. It's not possible to see how he can recover from this.' MPs said any contest could be unpredictable, with other ministers such as Phillipson, Yvette Cooper, Shabana Mahmood, or Al Carns potentially running.
The Labour Growth Group is planning to present its blueprint for 'a new economic settlement' to Number 10, calling for higher capital gains tax to fund a 2p cut to national insurance. A government minister said: 'Labour can still win in 2029, but only if we turn warm words about working people into radical and urgent action.'
Rayner's Policy Proposals
Rayner released a set of policy proposals for economic renewal, stating: 'What we are doing isn't working, and it needs to change. This may be our last chance.' She said Starmer 'must now meet the moment and set out the change our country needs,' and called for an acknowledgment that it was wrong to block Burnham's return to parliament. Suggesting how Labour needed to change, she said the party was in 'danger of becoming a party of the well-off' and described the Peter Mandelson scandal as showing a 'toxic culture of cronyism.'
Some on the left have been urging Ed Miliband to be their candidate, believing Rayner does not have enough support in the country and given that the HMRC inquiry into her tax affairs is not yet settled.
