British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly weighing his future after Andy Burnham’s Makerfield by-election win intensified speculation about a Labour leadership challenge, though some sources say Starmer remains focused on governing.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly preparing to step down as early as Monday as pressure builds inside the Labour Party following Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield by-election.
The reported resignation plan was outlined by the New York Post, which cited reporting that Starmer is discussing his future with his wife, Victoria, before setting out a timetable for leaving 10 Downing Street.
The report comes after Burnham won the Makerfield seat, a result widely viewed as a direct challenge to Starmer’s leadership. The Labour MP who previously held the seat resigned so Burnham could run for Parliament and position himself for another attempt at leading the party.
Burnham has twice before sought the Labour leadership. He is now said to have more than enough support from Labour MPs to launch a new leadership challenge.
“Keir has realised the game is up and it’s got to be a graceful exit,” a senior Labour figure said.
“What he rightly wants to avoid is humiliation, but the worst humiliation for Keir personally would be if he stands in a leadership election and is heavily beaten.”
The leadership speculation was highlighted in an X post.
Not all accounts agree that Starmer is preparing to resign. Some sources have told media outlets, including Reuters, that the prime minister will not step down and remains focused on his work in government.
Burnham’s Makerfield win has nevertheless deepened the political uncertainty surrounding Starmer. Once associated with the party’s centrist wing, Burnham has moved further left in recent years and now presents himself as a left-wing populist.
In the by-election, Burnham won 55% of the vote and defeated his main rival, Nigel Farage’s Reform party, by 20 percentage points. The result was also referenced in a separate X post.
Starmer has faced declining public approval since becoming prime minister in July 2024. A recent YouGov tracker found that 18% of respondents thought he was doing a good job, while 74% said he was doing badly.
His ratings have fallen steadily during his time in office, adding to unrest among Labour MPs and activists.
Starmer has also clashed with President Donald Trump. Trump described him as “not Winston Churchill” after Starmer refused to allow U.S. planes to launch attacks on Iran from the joint U.S.-U.K. airbase on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
The reported resignation discussions come at a volatile moment for Labour, with Burnham’s return to Parliament giving Starmer’s critics a potential successor who already has national recognition and support among MPs.
If Starmer does resign, Labour would be forced into another leadership contest less than two years after he entered Downing Street. If he remains, he could face a formal challenge from Burnham and a party increasingly divided over its direction.
For now, reports differ on whether Starmer has made a final decision. But Burnham’s by-election victory has sharply increased pressure on the prime minister and placed Labour’s leadership crisis at the center of British politics.
Original article
Comments