The race to replace Starmer is on - but he still faces a momentous choice
A leadership contest within the Labour Party appears imminent as Wes Streeting steps down from government and Andy Burnham seeks a parliamentary seat to launch his bid to replace Keir Starmer as prime minister. While internal divisions grow, Starmer retains time in office to address pressing domestic and international issues. The timeline and even the certainty of a leadership race remain uncertain, with debates over whether a contest will occur or be avoided through political accommodation.
- ▪Wes Streeting has left government to prepare for a potential leadership challenge against Keir Starmer.
- ▪Andy Burnham is attempting to re-enter Parliament via a by-election in Makerfield to pursue his prime ministerial ambitions.
- ▪Labour faces urgent domestic issues including defence spending, energy bills, social media regulation, and public sector pay, while also engaging in international efforts such as reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
- ▪Some senior Labour figures suggest Burnham could become leader without a contest due to his momentum, while others insist a full leadership race is necessary.
- ▪Reform Party is heavily investing in blocking Burnham's return to Parliament, making his electoral success uncertain.
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| Original publisher | BBC News — UK |
| Canonical URL | https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx213m1d82lo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss |
| Publication time | Sat, 16 May 2026 15:57:33 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-16T16:00:18.941Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-16T16:00:18.941Z |
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The race to replace Starmer is on - but he still faces a momentous choiceJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleLaura KuenssbergSunday with Laura KuenssbergBBC"Every morning when he wakes up, it's been the same two questions. Does Wes have the numbers? And does Andy have a seat?"An ally of the prime minister tells me for several months those have been No 10's preoccupations. The answer to the first is still disputed - Wes Streeting's team says "Yes". Team Starmer says "No way".But it's become academic because Streeting has quit government to prepare for a run at the top job.
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