When it comes to identifying a potential replacement for Keir Starmer, there’s one name that continues to circulate. Although Andy Burnham does not serve as an MP, the Greater Manchester Mayor is proving to be a popular candidate to replace Sir Keir as Labour leader.
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Will Keir Starmer face a leadership challenge?
Starmer is facing mounting criticism of his leadership, after replacing Jeremy Corbyn in 2020. Despite guiding Labour to a resounding victory at the 2024 General Election, his time as PM has been incredibly underwhelming – drawing criticism from both left and right-wing voters.
With a gloomy forecast looming over next week’s budget, Mr. Starmer will likely come in for another round of pelters. There are reports that the sharks are already circling – and Health Secretary Wes Streeting recently denied claims that he was planning to mount a leadership challenge.
Andy Burnham vs Keir Starmer – PM forecast to lose
However, the sands are expected to shift as Labour enter their third calendar year in government. Polling results remain dire for the party, who consistently trail Reform by 10 to 15 points in the latest surveys. Therefore, changes at the top are being frequently mooted.
Research conducted by LabourList this week, which surveyed over a thousand Labour Party members, pitted Starmer against several other hopefuls in a hypothetical head-to-head leadership contest. The likes of Angela Rayner, Ed Miliband, and that man Wes Streeting are projected to come out on top.
However, one proposed candidate is head and shoulders above the rest. Andy Burnham would, in this scenario, hold a 26-point lead over Keir Starmer. In fact, his forecast vote-share of 58% is almost twice the number of those who would back the PM (32%). A further 10% declared as ‘undecided’.
Andy Burnham faces ‘hurdles’ to any leadership bid
Burnham would have to win a by-election as a Labour candidate and become an MP again to challenge for the leadership. Emma Burnell, editor of LabourList, believes that this process could rule the former cabinet member out of the race to replace Starmer – if the ball gets rolling soon.
“Andy Burnham faces several hurdles. If things move quickly, he may not be able to return to Parliament in time to be a candidate. This might give Starmer and his team hope. If there is no obvious candidate that can beat him, he will feel much more secure in place.” | Emma Burnell