With less than a week until the local elections, all eyes are on Sir Keir Starmer's position as Labour leader. The polls are widely seen as a judgment day for the prime minister, with the party expected to suffer heavy losses across 5,000 council seats.
Starmer has faced relentless criticism since taking office in July 2024, compounded by policy U-turns and the Peter Mandelson scandal. The elections offer a perfect opportunity for potential challengers, some of whom have been planning leadership bids for months.
Andy Burnham
The Greater Manchester mayor is popular among MPs, party members, and the public. Recent YouGov polling shows 34% of Britons think he would do a better job than Starmer. Burnham has repeatedly failed to rule out a leadership bid and revealed last September that dozens of MPs were urging him to challenge. However, he is not currently an MP. He was blocked from standing in Gorton and Denton, but allies say he has a plan to return to Parliament.
Angela Rayner
The former deputy prime minister resigned from cabinet last September over a stamp duty scandal. She is popular on the soft left and has warned Labour is 'running out of time' to deliver change. Only 15% of voters think she would outperform Starmer. Rumours of a joint bid with Burnham have emerged, but Rayner may need to resolve her tax investigation before making a move.
Wes Streeting
The health secretary is seen as the most likely cabinet challenger, with enough MP backing (over 81) to trigger a leadership election. He is charismatic and on the right of the party, but faces perception of being too right-wing. Only 13% of voters think he would do better than Starmer. He broke collective responsibility by publishing communications criticising the PM's policies.
Ed Miliband
The energy secretary has emerged as an unexpected contender, more than a decade after leading Labour to defeat. He is popular among young people and has grown critical of the government over the Mandelson affair. However, he denies eyeing a leadership bid, and only 13% of voters think he would outperform Starmer.
