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How team Burnham finally cleared the first of many hurdles on route to Westminster

Wes Streeting attending the state opening of parliament the day before he resigned as health secretary. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters The mood among his supporters was bleak. “It’s a shit cocktail,” said

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

Wes Streeting has launched a scathing attack on what he described as Keir Starmer’s “heavy-handed” leadership culture, which he claimed had stifled creative policy thinking in government. Streeting criticised the effectiveness of Labour

Wes Streeting pledges 'wealth tax that works'

Wes Streeting has backed the introduction of a "wealth tax that works", as part of his pitch for the Labour leadership. Streeting is proposing equalising capital gains tax with income tax, in a reform

‘It’s Andy or bust’: could Burnham’s return to parliament save Starmer?

leadership contest in the middle of a potential economic crisis. One senior backbencher said that a move against Starmer in the context of the Iran war would be political suicide. “All those 2024 intake

MPs from Labour’s left to urge Ed Miliband to consider leadership bid

leadership would “plunge the country into chaos”. A number of Labour MPs from across the party support Andy Burnham replacing Starmer. However, the Greater Manchester mayor requires a time-consuming and uncertain byelection

Chris Mason: Starmer defiant after defence spending row

Labour defence secretary and former Secretary General of Nato Lord Robertson, have said the focus instead should be on cutting the rapidly rising benefits bill. Sir Keir said he did hope that within the coming

Wes Streeting faces narrow road to Labour members’ favour

Wes Streeting](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/wes-streeting), one of those with ambitions to succeed Keir Starmer, is that many of Labour’s do not like him. Just before Labour’s heavy local election losses, [a Compass survey

Chris Mason: Why a coffee is overshadowing the King's Speech

leadership challenge and the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has not yet found himself a parliamentary seat to contest. "Wes doesn't have the numbers and Andy doesn't have a seat

Andy Burnham faces perilous race to win Makerfield byelection, allies say

Wes Streeting. Streeting said on Saturday that he believed Britain’s long-term future lay in rejoining the union – something that was quickly dismissed as “odd” by the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy. Reform is hoping

UK borrowing costs rise and pound falls as leadership drama continues

Labour leadership took another twist with Andy Burnham's decision to fight a by-election. While other European government borrowing costs also rose, the UK movements have been greater, which analysts said had been fuelled

Analysis: Andy Burnham's route back to the Commons is clearer - but one big hurdle remains

Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner should all be key players in our team," she is expected to say. "Andy wants to come back to Parliament - I've always supported his desire

Will Starmer go – and if so, how? Four scenarios in the battle for No 10

Wes Streeting, [who resigned](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/14/wes-streeting-quits-cabinet-and-calls-on-starmer-to-resign) as health secretary on Thursday, had [reportedly pledged](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/13/wes-streeting-prepares-to-launch-leadership-challenge-against-keir-starmer) to start a contest but seemingly failed to raise the necessary support among MPs. Other possible challengers

The race to replace Starmer is on - but he still faces a momentous choice

Wes Streeting's team says "Yes". Team Starmer says "No way". But it's become academic because Streeting has quit government to prepare for a run at the top job. And then, a frenzied

‘Hold the line’: Burnham tells allies in parliament he still has options to return

leadership race would move too fast for the mayor, with [Wes Streeting](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/wes-streeting) expected to start an accelerated process this week. “It’s a big shit cocktail. We’re all doomed,” they said

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

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)

Catherine West backs down from Starmer challenge but urges him to go by September

leadership, has changed course and said she instead wants the prime minister to set a timetable of September for his departure. West, the MP for Hornsey and Friern Barnet and a former Foreign Office minister

Analysis: Has Starmer done enough to save his premiership?

leadership contest right now. A sigh of relief, in the immediate moment at least, for Downing Street - and for the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, as she is now advocating that the prime minister

Labour MP in seat eyed by Burnham allies says she will not stand aside

leadership contest. Allies of Burnham, who hopes to seek to replace Starmer as prime minister, had said Rimmer’s seat was one possibly in contention for him to fight a byelection. But Rimmer

Starmer ally admits prime minister is ‘unpopular’ but warns of ‘chaos’ if leadership contest triggered – UK politics live

contest triggered – UK politics live From Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of UK politics. > double quotation markHousing secretary **Steve Reed,** a close ally of **Keir Starmer,** has been on the media round

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

Wes Streeting](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/wes-streeting) has set out plans for a “wealth tax that works”, by equalising tax on assets and income. Streeting said the current system – in which capital gains tax is generally much