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Labour’s better than expected thrashing may allow Starmer to cling on in No 10

planning a speech next week, which will inevitably be seen as another reset. Starmer has also been fortunate that polling experts appear to have overestimated the losses he faced – with both John Curtice and Michael

‘No other plan comes close’: Labour MPs turn to Burnham as pressure mounts on Starmer

leadership election.” They said Starmer had a “great legacy” and had brought the party back together after the fractious Jeremy Corbyn years: “He’s got the chance now to bring the party back together again

Chris Mason: Dissent fizzes again at the top of the Labour Party

Andy Burnham would be returning to Westminster before the bubbles of anxiety about Sir Keir Starmer would be visible again. The prime minister had sought to seize this brief opportunity to project direction and delivery

‘There’s a risk of another Liz Truss moment’: City raises spectre of bond market meltdown again

Andy Burnham, has suggested financial markets would “have to fall into line” should the Greater Manchester mayor find a route to Downing Street. Meanwhile, the leftwing grandee Diane Abbott [suggested that](https://x.com/SaulStaniforth/status/2054428241444663687)

Tony Blair’s essay on Labour failings gets full marks for being unhelpful

leadership debate concerning Streeting and Andy Burnham, whom Blair also praises, “has an extraordinarily retro 20th-century feel to it”, he complains. Some in Labour might well agree, but the problem for Blair is something

Andy Burnham’s change in tack on fiscal rules and bond markets is understandable

Andy Burnham has always faced a narrow path to replace Keir Starmer as prime minister: a tricky byelection, a leadership contest that is yet to be declared, and a far from constructive bond market backdrop

Labour has 'no coherent plan' for country, says Blair

planning system and reducing trade friction with Europe, the former PM said other commitments were "unwise to proceed with" given the current economic circumstances. He pointed to new [workers' rights laws](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy0l19j9jgko), which

‘King of the North’: Who is Andy Burnham, a potential UK prime minister?

Andy Burnham has announced an ambitious plan of his own – to win a parliamentary seat in the northern English town Ashton-in-Makerfield. According to his supporters, he is the best candidate to replace Starmer

By-election win-win for me, Reform candidate says

Andy Burnham to run for Parliament and potentially mount a leadership bid. Speaking to [BBC Radio Manchester](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live/bbc_radio_manchester), Robert Kenyon said if he won, he becomes an MP, but he he lost

John Healey says Labour infighting puts government’s credibility at risk

Andy Burnham, [Wes Streeting](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/wes-streeting) and even the junior defence minister Al Carns. Arguing that “these are serious times”, Healey – who was also a minister under Gordon Brown – said [Labour](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/labour)

Streeting calls for equal tax on income and capital gains in Labour leadership pitch

plan could raise up to £12bn a year. He used the example of a woman in Lancashire who paid a higher rate of tax on her salary than her landlord paid for the growing value

‘Why are we even doing this?’ The week that left Britain’s PM looking like an interim leader

Andy Burnham is seen as Keir Starmer’s successor apparent. Photograph: Temilade Adelaja/Reuters She began by saying that if no one in the cabinet was willing to seek the 81 nominations needed to kickstart

Starmer warns leadership contest would 'plunge us into chaos' in pleas to ministers and MPs

contest plunge us into chaos - a challenge would 100% do that." The BBC has been told there were two meetings, one with ministers of state and one with more junior ministers, and they lasted about

Leadership rules should ‘not be tweaked’ to let Burnham run for PM, Labour NEC member says

Andy Burnham](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/andyburnham) to participate,” he said. “[If we change the rules] we could have a cast of thousands. How about a byelection for David Miliband or a byelection for Ed Balls

Does UK’s new far-right party, Restore, pose a threat to Farage’s Reform?

Andy Burnham](/news/2026/5/19/king-of-the-north-who-is-andy-burnham-a-potential-uk-prime-minister) to contest the seat. If he is successful, Burnham will re-enter Westminster after an absence of nine years to stand for the leadership of the party against Prime Minister Keir Starmer

PM insists he will not walk away as Burnham promises to change Labour

Andy Burnham, if he is successful in his bid to become Labour MP for Makerfield. Setting out his pitch, Burnham told an investment summit in Leeds that a vote for him was a vote

Starmer to face Commons grilling at PMQs as Streeting plans resignation speech – UK politics live

plan to curb supermarket prices*** As **Sarah Butler**, **Mark Sweney** and **Heather Stewart** report, UK supermarkets have been asked by the government to consider freezing the prices of some essential foodstuffs to protect the public

Challenge Starmer by Monday or I will, Labour MP tells cabinet

contest. "My preferred option is for the cabinet to do a reshuffle within itself, where there's plenty of talent, and for Keir to be given a different role, which he might enjoy, perhaps

Wes Streeting prepares to launch leadership challenge against Keir Starmer

Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, is the favoured replacement for Starmer by many on the soft left, but does not yet have a seat despite trying to persuade several MPs to stand down

Andy Burnham to face Reform’s Robert Kenyon in crucial Makerfield byelection

Andy Burnham will face Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon in next month’s crucial [Makerfield byelection](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/makerfield-byelection) in a clash that could change the course of British politics for years to come. Reform