Here the Press Association looks at the possible candidates should a Labour leadership contest be triggered.
The Labour Party appears to be heading towards a leadership contest where several senior figures plan to challenge Sir Keir Starmer and oust him as Prime Minister.
Wes Streeting, the former health secretary, has said he will stand in any contest while Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is hoping to return to Westminster in an upcoming by-election to allow him a chance to tilt for the top job.
Here the Press Association looks at the possible candidates should a Labour leadership contest be triggered.
– Wes Streeting
Former health secretary Mr Streeting quit Government last week and hit out at the incremental approach of Sir Keir’s administration in his resignation letter to the Prime Minister.
On Saturday, Mr Streeting set out his fledgling policy platform, which included a call for a “new special relationship” with the EU, which he said could eventually lead to Britain rejoining the trade bloc.
Mr Streeting also called for the UK to reindustrialise in order to grow the economy and fund social democratic policies.
The ex-minister suggested he wanted to see the UK meet the challenge of disinformation on social media with the 21st century’s equivalent of the BBC but was vague about what this might practically entail.
– Andy Burnham
The Greater Manchester Mayor has made it clear he wishes to be Labour’s candidate for the upcoming Makerfield by-election, which will be held after the local Labour MP, Josh Simons, resigned to allow Mr Burnham a chance to return to Parliament.
Mr Burnham has sought to promote his “Manchesterism” brand of politics as an antidote to the Westminster system of Government in recent months.
He has claimed Westminster no longer works for the majority of the country, promoting ideas including a move towards a more proportional system of voting, taxes on wealth and replacing the House of Lords as a means of making the system fairer.
In interviews over the weekend, Mr Burnham also indicated he wanted to see Britain reindustrialise to provide good jobs more widely.
He has also previously indicated support for rejoining the EU.
– Angela Rayner
The former deputy prime minister left Government over a scandal about her tax affairs but this has been resolved without any penalty from HMRC, clearing Ms Rayner for a potential leadership bid.
Ms Rayner has not yet made any public declaration that she would stand in any Labour leadership contest but her announcement that she had been cleared by HMRC appeared to be timed to coincide with other rivals setting out their stall to replace Sir Keir.
While serving in Government as deputy prime minister, Labour’s then deputy leader and housing secretary championed a series of reforms to workers’ rights, which have largely been carried through after her exit.
In a signal of what her policy platform may look like, Ms Rayner has hit out at several decisions by colleagues since returning to the backbenches.
For example, she described plans by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to tighten up the eligibility for migrants who have lived in the UK for years to claim permanent settlement as “un-British”.
– Ed Miliband
Several reports in the media have suggested the Energy Secretary would be interested in standing should a contest for the Labour leadership be held.
However sources close to Mr Miliband dismissed in the week rumours he was preparing a bid as “mischief-making”.
Mr Miliband, who led the Labour Party in opposition between 2010 and 2015, has largely stuck to speaking about his brief as Energy Secretary since the party came to power in 2024.
– Sir Keir Starmer
The Prime Minister has insisted he will not be forced out of office by his “doubters” and has insisted he will prove them wrong.
In a speech reacting to the bruising defeat Labour suffered in elections across England, Wales and Scotland last week, Sir Keir set out a series of measures aimed at moving the dial for his Government.
Many within his party saw these pledges as disappointing but they included moves to nationalise British Steel, forge much closer ties with Europe, and to ensure young people currently out of work have a guarantee of a job, training or education.
Sir Keir has warned against the Labour Party tacking to either the left or the right in the wake of the election defeats and has cast the current political moment as a “battle for the soul” of the UK.
