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Britain faces weeks of leadership limbo in slow-motion coup against Starmer

Burnham does get back into parliament, it is a virtual certainty that he will become Britain’s new prime minister. Several British newspapers have reported that, despite his public statements pledging to fight on, Starmer

Are the Downing Street dominoes about to fall?

policy quandry: how to find cuts or new taxes - which no one in his party wants - to pay for defence. How to make it look like he is in charge of events

Badenoch says Labour ‘just want a better salesman’. It would be a good start

Andy Burnham](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/andyburnham), Wes Streeting or another candidate who they think can better articulate to the country why the party should be given an extension in power. Streeting attempted a more uplifting tone

Andy Burnham seeks advice from Sue Gray on forming future Labour government

Andy Burnham has sought advice from Baroness Sue Gray, Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff, on how to manage a potential transition into Downing Street if he returns to Westminster and succeeds the prime

Makerfield byelection: Burnham’s decisive win intensifies pressure on Starmer to step aside – UK politics live

prime minister, how easy will that trick be to repeat? Because once he’s his own man, he’s not going to be able to campaign against himself in the way he’s campaigned against

Labour must offer more than ‘better managed decline’ on economy, MPs urge

policy, she said this should only be done after the government had balanced day-to-day spending with tax receipts. Haigh also called for the scrapping of stamp duty and its replacement with a proportional

Tony Blair says Labour must abandon net zero, support Trump and cut benefits

Andy Burnham and [Wes Streeting](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/wes-streeting) of putting Labour’s future at risk by abandoning the centre ground, warning that the party’s “almost infinite capacity for self-delusion” means it is likely

Is Keir Starmer trying to build a legacy or just getting on with the job?

Andy Burnham, there is a sense that Keir Starmer is entering his own legacy period – not just tying up loose ends, but seeking to create impacts that last. The long-awaited [defence investment plan

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

Starmer to face split cabinet as demands for his resignation mount

Prime Minister Angela Rayner, and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. However, Rayner’s ability to run is hampered until an investigation into her tax affairs is resolved. She resigned in 2025 after admitting

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

policy and whether we are prepared to meet the moment with the scale of change it demands." Brash is one of the more than 80 Labour MPs who have urged Sir Keir to resign immediately

Changing visa rules for care workers is wrong, says Rayner

Prime Minister Angela Rayner has said changing visa rules for migrants already living in the UK would be "the wrong thing to do", repeating her criticism of some of the Labour government's immigration policies

Rushed social media ban for under-16s in UK could ‘unravel’, charity warns

prime minister, [Keir Starmer](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/keir-starmer), is to announce a ban on under-16s accessing “harmful” social media apps. It is not known which apps would fit into that category, but a blanket

The small-town voters deciding the UK’s future are demanding change, our focus group found

Andy Burnham, [the Labour candidate who is hot favorite](https://www.politico.eu/article/andy-burnham-makerfield-rebirth-labour-man-of-the-people-leadership/) to succeed party leader Keir Starmer as PM if he can get himself back into Parliament, might make a difference. But the overwhelming

Starmer’s future hangs in balance after Burnham’s Makerfield election win

Andy Burnham in the key by-election, hoping he will replace Keir Starmer as Labour leader and prime minister [Simon Speakman Cordall/Al Jazeera] Howard Bond, a recently retired sales manager, told Al Jazeera that

Wednesday briefing: Where Starmer stands after another precarious day in Parliament

policy editor, ***Kiran Stacey***, about a critical few weeks for the prime minister and whether Labour MPs could move to replace him. First, the headlines. ## Five big stories 1. ***US*** | King Charles has extolled

Reeves makes case to remain as chancellor with reports Burnham may favour Miliband

Andy Burnham wins the Makerfield byelection and replaces Starmer as prime minister. Reports [have suggested](https://www.ft.com/content/2661dd28-909b-49fd-95c6-e66ebf2fce70?syn-25a6b1a6=1) Burnham is considering appointing Ed Miliband as chancellor if he makes it to No 10. But Reeves

IMF urges UK to ‘stay the course’ on borrowing amid Starmer uncertainty

Andy Burnham, the favourite to replace Starmer should he win a byelection to return to parliament, that Britain was too “[in hock to the bond markets](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/sep/25/andy-burnham-alarms-city-call-end-uk-dependence-foreign-lenders)”. The Greater Manchester mayor has since

Streeting launches scathing attack on Starmer - and calls for UK to rejoin EU

policy – like banning smartphones in schools. “That’s why we need a proper contest where all candidates can put their best foot forward. It’s got to be a battle of ideas so that whoever

Labour risks handing power to Reform without drastic change, says union leader

ministers: "I have been very frank with the government. When Labour came into power there was a sense of relief. But sadly we've been left wanting." She added: "Communities are really struggling. They [Labour