Title: The Potential Contenders for Keir Starmer’s Leadership

The political stability of Prime Minister Keir Starmer is currently under threat following the resignation of Health Secretary Wes Streeting from the government. While Starmer has not yet initiated a formal leadership contest, associates of Streeting indicated to the BBC that they anticipated a challenge against the Prime Minister as early as Thursday. This development follows pressure from nearly 90 MPs and several cabinet ministers urging Starmer to step down, either immediately or in the near future.

Despite the growing calls for his departure, Labour MPs remain divided on who should succeed Sir Keir as both party leader and head of government. Downing Street has firmly stated that Starmer intends to contest any leadership bid against him. Although no other figures have publicly declared their candidacy, several potential rivals have emerged.

Wes Streeting

Streeting, who has served as Health Secretary since Labour’s 2024 victory, previously held the shadow health portfolio for three years. First elected to Parliament in 2015, his background includes tenure as a London councillor and President of the National Union of Students. In his 2023 memoir, Streeting detailed his upbringing in a council flat in London’s East End, his identity as a gay Christian, and childhood visits to his grandfather in prison.

Recognized as the cabinet’s most effective communicator, Streeting highlights the reduction in NHS waiting lists as a key government achievement. He has historically been transparent about his leadership goals and enjoys significant backing from Labour MPs, particularly those situated on the party’s center and right. His key allies include Business Secretary Peter Kyle and Science Secretary Liz Kendall. However, his positioning as the “right-wing” option may resonate poorly with party members, who generally lean further left than the parliamentary wing.

Andy Burnham

Andy Burnham enjoys robust support among Labour MPs and polls indicate he is the most popular Labour figure among the general electorate. His political resume includes nearly a decade as Mayor of Greater Manchester, earning him the moniker “the King of the North.” Burnham has openly expressed his desire for the premiership.

A significant barrier to his candidacy is his current status as a non-MP. However, Labour MP Josh Simons has resigned from his Makersfield constituency, located near Manchester. Burnham must now be selected as the Labour candidate by the National Executive Committee (NEC). If approved, he can run in the ensuing by-election; winning the seat would allow him to enter the leadership race, provided he secures the backing of 81 MPs.

Burnham previously attempted to secure the Labour nomination for the Gorton and Denton by-election earlier this year but was rejected by the NEC. Should he return to Westminster, it would mark his second parliamentary term. He served as the MP for Leigh between 2001 and 2017, holding senior roles in the health and culture departments. The 56-year-old previously ran for party leadership in 2010, losing to Ed Miliband, and finished second to Jeremy Corbyn in 2015. His parliamentary support base is largely drawn from the left and MPs from the North West. Potential allies include Deputy Labour Leader Lucy Powell and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, both of whom would likely endorse him if he became eligible.

Angela Rayner

Until last year, Angela Rayner served as Deputy Prime Minister and was widely regarded as the most influential woman in British politics. Her rise from poverty is notable; she left school at 16 with no qualifications before beginning work as a care worker. Her involvement with the trade union Unison served as the catalyst for her political career.

Elected as the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester in 2015, Rayner ascended rapidly within Westminster, eventually serving in Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-05-15 03:34:33 UTC