Who Could Replace Starmer as Prime Minister? Here Are the Top Contenders ...Middle East

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is fighting for his political future as dozens of lawmakers from his own party call on him to resign. 

Four government ministers resigned on Tuesday, citing they no longer have confidence in Starmer’s leadership.

Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips referred to Starmer as a “good man” in her resignation letter, but said that is “not enough.”

Minister for Devolution, Faith, and Communities Miatta Fahnbulleh, in her own announcement, urged the Prime Minister “to do the right thing for the country and the [Labour] Party and set a timetable for an orderly transition.”

Zubir Ahmed, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Care, and Alex Davies-Jones, Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls, expressed similar sentiments as they stepped down. 

But Starmer maintained to his cabinet members Tuesday morning that he will not resign. 

“The country expects us to get on with governing. That is what I am doing and what we must do as a cabinet,”  he insisted, a day after taking responsibility for Labour's heavy losses in local elections last week.

Yet his promise of a reset has done little to quell concerns, as at least 80 Labour MPs [Members of Parliament] have now called for Starmer to step down or establish a timeline for his resignation.

As Starmer pointed out to his cabinet, despite the mounting calls for him to go, there has yet to be a leadership challenge raised.  

If someone were to trigger a leadership challenge, a candidate (who needs to be a current Member of Parliament) must receive support to run from at least 20% of sitting Labour MPs, which currently translates to 81 lawmakers, according to the Institute for Government. 

“Once the runners and riders are decided, the contest goes to Labour's membership and its affiliated societies, and trade union members,” Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, tells TIME.

Although Labour lawmaker and former minister Catherine West threatened to raise a leadership challenge over the weekend, she has since retreated from that plan of action. 

Aside from a leadership contest, Bale notes that another way to oust Starmer would be if cabinet ministers were “to start resigning en masse, making it difficult—if not impossible—to replace them.”

A similar scenario occurred in 2022, when Prime Minister Boris Johnson, then-leader of the Conservative Party, stepped down after more than 50 members of his government resigned in protest against a series of ethics scandals. 

With Starmer’s premiership in crisis, thoughts are turning to who could possibly replace him if he were to resign or be ousted from the PM title he has held since 2024.

Here’s a look at the lead contenders that could potentially take over the Labour Party.

Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, is widely seen as someone who could be the next Prime Minister.

Burnham is currently the most popular Labour politician among the British public, according to YouGov ratings. 35% of those surveyed said they have a positive opinion of Burnham, compared to Starmer who has a popularity rating of 19%. 

However, Burnham would need to be allowed to stand as a by-election candidate so he can return to the House of Commons before being a viable candidate. A Labour colleague would also need to step down in order to make room for him.

Burnham attempted to become a Member of Parliament earlier this year, but was blocked from standing in a by-election by Labour's decision-making body, the National Executive Committee (NEC)—a move some lawmakers have since labeled a “mistake.” 

But a by-election now would still be a risk, despite his popularity, Tony Travers, a professor of politics at the London School of Economics, tells TIME.

“He would have to stand down as the Mayor of Greater Manchester. That would trigger a second by-election, which Reform UK would almost certainly win," he says.

A number of Labour figures have already expressed their support for Burnham to run in a by-election, should there be an opportunity to do so. 

Lawmaker Connor Naismith called on Starmer to step down following poor local election results last week, adding that any transition in Downing Street “must include giving Andy Burnham the opportunity to re-enter parliament if an opportunity arises.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan also voiced his support for Burnham to be allowed to return to the Commons.

“If Andy still wants to return, and an opportunity arises he should be allowed to stand… I’m a firm believer in the team that I support winning, you want your best players on the pitch,” he said.

“Burnham probably has the wider support base among the party's membership,” says Travers, adding that the Manchester Mayor has a “magical capacity to win over votes in the North,” despite Labour’s depleting popularity in certain areas compared to other parties.

If Burnham does return to parliament, it will be his second stint in Westminster.

He previously served as MP for Leigh and also held ministerial positions at the Home Office, Department of Health, and the Treasury. In 2008, he became Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, before returning to Health as Secretary of State in 2009. In opposition, he served as Shadow Education Secretary, Shadow Health Secretary, and Shadow Home Secretary.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting in London, England, on May 12, 2026. —Thomas Krych—Getty Images

Wes Streeting

Currently serving as the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting has reportedly expressed his interest in the leadership spot, should the Prime Minister step down.

Following Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, Streeting departed Downing Street without speaking to the media camped outside. TIME has reached out to his office for comment.

According to Travers, Streeting “has a knack, that Keir Starmer clearly doesn't have," which is "to make his performance as Health Secretary visible and comprehensible."

Over the last two years, Streeting has pushed for the increased digitalization of the National Health Service (NHS) and has vowed to reduce NHS wait times by 2029.

“He's clearly quite tough in dealing with a massive underperforming public service,” says Travers, adding that Streeting is "going to be seen as a representative of the moderate-center of the Labour Party, or some would say, the center-right of the current Labour Party."

Formerly the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Angela Rayner is the left-leaning front-runner to consider when looking at potential candidates. 

“She's quite popular with her party, with back benchers, and party members,” says Travers. “She’s seen as authentic, and much more relatable to most people in Britain than many politicians.” 

Rayner sits just behind Burnham in YouGov's ratings, with 24% of those surveyed having a positive opinion of her.

However, Rayner’s recent history in the Labour Party could prove to be a stumbling block, experts note. 

Rayner resigned as Deputy Prime Minister in September after it was found that she underpaid tax on her home, leading Starmer’s ethics adviser to conclude that she had breached the ministerial code.

“I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice given both my position as housing secretary and my complex family arrangements,” said Rayner in her resignation letter to Starmer. “I take full responsibility for this error.”

This issue could prove damaging to Rayner should she run in a leadership contest. But findings from a government investigation into her taxes may soon be published, which could potentially clear her of any wrongdoing or, at the very least, officially close the chapter.

“If it just turns out it was a mistake, and it's all sorted, it will cease to be an issue,” says Travers. “It just hangs over her now.” 

Rayner is another Labour lawmaker to voice her support for Burnham to be able to run in a possible by-election. Calling for immediate change in the Labour government’s approach, Rayner said that blocking Burnham from running earlier this year was a mistake.

“We must show we understand the scale of change the moment calls for—that means bringing our best players into Parliament,” she said on Monday.

Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero Ed Miliband arrives in Downing Street on May 12, 2026. —Wiktor Szymanowicz—Getty Images

Ed Miliband

Former leader of the Labour Party, Ed Miliband, is another name receiving attention.

He is currently a member of Starmer’s cabinet, serving as Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero.

“He's quite popular with the Labour membership, but he has the disadvantage of having been leader before and not winning a general election,” says Travers, referring to the 2015 general election won by the Conservative Party.

Instead, the former Labour leader could be seen as more of a placeholder candidate, should Burnham fail to become an MP ahead of a potential leadership contest.

“He might be thought of as somebody who could get Labour through to the next election and then step down, allowing Burnham to become leader,” says Travers. 

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