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Wes Streeting faces narrow road to Labour members’ favour

Labour’s heavy local election losses, [a Compass survey](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/09/labour-members-keir-starmer-party-fortunes-poll) of more than 1,000 members found that if they were given a free choice, 42% would pick Andy Burnham to succeed Starmer

Andy Burnham wins key UK by-election, paving way to challenge Keir Starmer

Andy Burnham has cruised to victory in a high-stakes by-election in northern England, paving the way for him to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the leadership of the Labour Party

Tuesday briefing: Starmer’s ‘last chance’ speech and the possible challengers to his premiership

Andy Burnham isn’t in parliament, and Angela Rayner still has [tax issues](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/18/angela-rayners-allies-say-hmrc-inquiry-set-to-be-resolved-before-may-elections) and doesn’t seem to have the parliamentary support needed to win a contest. It depends on whether Streeting

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

Andy Burnham is seen as the successor apparent. But the Greater Manchester mayor is not yet in parliament and will first have to win a byelection in Makerfield, a constituency on the edge of Wigan

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

party's dissent. Or so we thought. It turns out we didn't have to wait to find out if the Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham would be returning to Westminster before the bubbles

Greens split over how hard to challenge Burnham in Makerfield byelection

Andy Burnham](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/andyburnham) in the Makerfield byelection, with some worried about allowing Reform UK to win and others wanting the party to go all out. While characterised by insiders as “very civilised

TUC leader ‘angry’ at state of Labour but says it can recover to win next election

Burnham, return to parliament by winning the Makerfield byelection, although he warned that any new prime minister would face the same significant challenges to prove Labour could deliver for working people. “Andy is clearly

Armed forces minister quits after Healey exit as defence funding row deepens

Labour candidate Andy Burnham is seeking a return to Westminster to enable him to challenge Sir Keir for the premiership. Healey is the second cabinet minister to resign from Sir Keir's government in recent

Healey quits as defence secretary in row over military spending

Labour candidate Andy Burnham is seeking a return to Westminster to enable him to challenge Sir Keir for the premiership. Healey is the second cabinet minister to resign from Sir Keir's government in recent

Labour’s Angela Rayner says she has been cleared over UK tax affairs

Labour’s left wing, calling on the party to do more to boost the minimum wage and raise taxes on the rich. But [other potential candidates](/news/2026/5/11/who-could-challenge-keir-starmer-for-the-uk-pms-job-meet-the-candidates) may enter any race for the leadership. Greater

Prospect of Labour leadership race brings out different sides of rivals

Andy Burnham](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/andyburnham), the party’s leftwing hope for prime minister, will have to demonstrate he can win over Reform UK voters on migration, and the bond markets on fiscal rules. And there

Cabinet minister warns Labour against ‘doomscrolling’ through leaders like the Tories

Andy Burnham, giving him time to return to Westminster. Reed said the majority of MPs and local leaders did not want to unleash the chaos of a leadership challenge. “I speak

Chris Mason: Emphatic win leaves Starmer with big decision on leadership

Andy Burnham, wants to become prime minister and do so quickly. And Burnham was, to all intents and purposes, campaigning against his own party's governing record at Westminster. Extraordinary, when you think about

Streeting says he is 'full of rebellious hope' as he delivers resignation speech

Andy Burnham, who is now contesting the seat in a by-election. Both Burnham and Streeting have made clear they would stand in a potential Labour leadership contest. Four junior ministers and six ministerial aides

What did Keir Starmer say in ‘last chance’ speech to save his premiership?

Andy Burnham would be allowed to give up his Greater Manchester mayoralty and fight for a Westminster seat – and then, very possibly, challenge Starmer. The prime minister is sticking to the line from earlier this

PM under pressure from Labour MPs and ministers to set timetable for exit

Andy Burnham won a resounding victory in the Makerfield by-election. A growing number of Labour MPs are urging Sir Keir to announce plans to hand power to the former Greater Manchester mayor, without

Will Tony Blair's intervention change the Labour debate?

Andy Burnham - who could soon challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership - has also criticised Sir Tony for not mentioning the importance of inequality. [Speaking to the Observer](https://observer.co.uk/news/politics/article/andy-burnham-slams-tony-blair-for-ignoring-inequality-in-his-defence-of-radical-centre), Burnham said: "People

Wes Streeting insists he can win Labour leadership race despite ‘underdog’ status

Burnham in polls of Labour members, and is seen as being on the right of the party, Streeting believes he can still win over the Labour membership, and denied he was suddenly pitching left

What next for Starmer? Five scenarios in Labour leadership crisis

Andy Burnham is seeking to stand in a by-election triggered by the resignation of a Labour MP who wants the Greater Manchester mayor to replace Sir Keir. Wes Streeting has also resigned as health

UK borrowing costs hit highest for 18 years as uncertainty over PM continues

Labour party. "The UK's already fragile fiscal position means that investors will be on edge for any signs of fiscal loosening," they said. "The likely replacements for Starmer/Reeves would probably not be as fiscally