Sir Keir Starmer will face a House of Commons grilling on Wednesday, his first since the resignation of Health Secretary Wes Streeting and the confirmation of Andy Burnham as Labour's by-election candidate in Makerfield, intensifying pressure on the Prime Minister's leadership.
Commons showdown
The Prime Minister will take questions from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and other MPs at noon, while former cabinet minister Wes Streeting is expected to deliver a resignation speech in the chamber. This marks Starmer's first appearance before Parliament since the May local elections, in which Labour suffered heavy losses, prompting mounting calls for him to step down.
Burnham's by-election bid
Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester Mayor, was confirmed as Labour's candidate in the Makerfield by-election, triggered by former minister Josh Simons quitting to pave the way for Burnham's return to Westminster. The National Executive Committee shortlisted only Burnham, bypassing a local party vote. He will face Reform UK's Robert Kenyon, a local plumber who contested the seat in 2024.
If elected, Burnham is widely expected to challenge Starmer for the Labour leadership. However, the Prime Minister has insisted he will not "walk away" from Downing Street and remains "focused on the job."
Streeting's criticism
Wes Streeting, who criticised "drift" and a lack of direction in government in his resignation letter last week, has also made clear he intends to stand in any leadership contest. Meanwhile, Defence Secretary John Healey warned that Labour's "credibility in Government is at stake," appearing to rebuke leadership jockeying among rivals.
"I don't care about photo ops or PR firms. Politics – to me – is not about the individual. People will not forgive us if they think we're more concerned about ourselves than about them," Healey said.
Burnham said he was "proud and humbled" to be selected and vowed to ensure the voices of people in Makerfield were "heard loud and clear." He has positioned himself as the candidate to "change Labour," calling for a "new path for Britain" in a campaign video.
The by-election could prove a tough fight, as former MP Josh Simons won the seat by just 5,399 votes in 2024, while Reform UK comfortably won every ward in the constituency in last month's local elections.
