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2026 Labour Party leadership crisis

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2026 Labour Party leadership crisis
Andy Burnham (right) will stand as a candidate in the upcoming Labour Party leadership election, caused by the resignation of Keir Starmer (left).
Date7 May 2026 – 22 June 2026
CauseSee Background
Motive
Participants
  • Labour MPs
  • Labour affiliate trade unions
  • Labour Party members
Outcome

Beginning in May 2026, a leadership crisis within the Labour Party emerged amid public and internal party dissatisfaction with Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and his government. Dissatisfaction with Labour's results in the local elections in May 2026 and discontent over policy and personnel issues led to calls for Starmer to resign as leader, and the resignation of several members of the government, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting on 14 May.

Also on 14 May, Josh Simons resigned as the MP for Makerfield to allow Andy Burnham to contest a by-election in order to be able to be stand for leader. On 11 June 2026, following disputes over the government's planned defence spending, Defence Secretary John Healey and Armed Forces minister Al Carns also resigned.

After Burnham's victory in Makerfield and calls for an immediate leadership challenge by Labour MPs, Starmer announced his resignation on 22 June 2026. Nominations for a potential leadership election will open on 9 July and close on 16 July 2026.[1] Streeting has announced that he will not contest for the leadership.

Background

[edit]
See also: Premiership of Keir Starmer

The Labour party won the 2024 general election with a landslide majority of 172 seats, ousting the Conservatives after 14 years in office. Starmer became the fifth Labour leader to become prime minister after a general election but with the smallest share of the electoral vote of any majority government since record-keeping of the popular vote began in 1830.[2][failed verification]

Starmer has been viewed unfavourably by the British public during his tenure as prime minister. His net approval rating began slightly positive, falling over the course of his premiership to an average of −46% by November 2025.[3] By the end of 2025, opinion polls rated Starmer as one of Britain's most unpopular prime ministers, drawing comparisons to Liz Truss.[4] Starmer's average net approval remained higher than Boris Johnson's during the Partygate scandal, Jeremy Corbyn's when he resigned as Labour leader and Truss's when she resigned as prime minister.[5][failed verification][citation needed]

Opposition to government policies

[edit]

In September 2024, YouGov reported that 67% of people had a negative view of the government's immigration policies while 16% had a positive view, 64% of people said the government were managing the health service badly and 70% of people were against the government's decision to release prisoners early to ease prison capacity.[6] By September 2025, 14% of people approved of the government's record while 69% disapproved. Roughly two-thirds of people believed the Labour party was out of touch, unclear of what they stood for, weak, and untrustworthy.[7]

77% of people did not trust Labour to keep its promises, or help the cost of living crisis. By January 2026, YouGov believed 75% of people had an unfavourable opinion of Starmer, a net favourability rating of −57, only matched by Truss.[8] Luke Tryl of polling company More in Common said that Starmer had "become a vessel for people's frustration with the system."[9]

In March 2026, Unite the Union, one of the largest trade unions, cut their Labour affiliation by 40% because of "Labour's incompetent behaviour" in response to the Birmingham bin strike. General secretary Sharon Graham said, "Workers are scratching their heads asking whose side are Labour on, who do they really represent, because it certainly isn't workers."[10]

Poor electoral performance

[edit]
Main articles: 2025 United Kingdom local elections, 2025 Runcorn and Helsby by-election, 2026 Gorton and Denton by-election, and 2026 United Kingdom local elections
Starmer appointed former prime minister Gordon Brown to an advisory role in government in an attempt to reset his premiership.

The most popular Labour politician[11] and leadership hopeful Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, attempted to run for parliament at the 2026 Gorton and Denton by-election,[12] but was blocked by the National Executive Committee, a decision Angela Rayner has since called a mistake. Hannah Spencer of the Green Party won and flipped the seat, with Labour coming third. Burnham previously defeated Spencer in the 2024 Greater Manchester mayoral election, and she acknowledged Burnham's local popularity, stating that if he had been the candidate, Spencer would have faced a "harder fight".[13][14][15][16]

Ahead of the 2026 Scottish parliament election, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar publicly called for Starmer to resign, calling his leadership a distraction.[17] At the 2026 Senedd election, Welsh Labour suffered a massive defeat which ended 100 years of Labour control of Wales, relegating them to third place behind the governing Plaid Cymru and Official Opposition Reform UK Wales, with their leader, Eluned Morgan, becoming the first sitting head of government to lose their seat in an election in British history.[18]

At the 2026 local elections, Labour lost control of 35 councils and nearly 1,500 councillors (roughly 60% of seats up for election).[19][20] The BBC's projected national vote share indicated that Labour would receive 17% of the vote if the local elections had taken place across the whole country, in joint third with the Conservatives and down nearly half from the general election.[21] Following the result, Starmer appointed former prime minister Gordon Brown and Labour peer Harriet Harman to advisory roles in government in an attempt to reset his premiership. However, the BBC reported that Labour MPs were dissatisfied with the appointment, with one saying, "Not sure voters in Wigan, Wandsworth, Salford or Sunderland voted Reform because they thought we needed more advisers from a different era of Labour politics. I think this shows that Keir doesn't even understand the problem, never mind the solution."[22][23] However, opinion polling conducted in the wake of the 2026 local elections has shown that in England just 5% of those who voted Labour in the 2024 general election switched to Reform, while 32% switched to the Greens or the Lib Dems.[24]

Mandelson appointment scandal

[edit]
Main article: Relationship of Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein
Peter Mandelson and Starmer at the White House in February 2025

In December 2024, the government announced prominent New Labour figure Peter Mandelson's appointment as the British ambassador to the United States to strengthen their relationship with the incoming Trump administration.[25] In September 2025, the extent of Mandelson's relationship with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein became widely understood as the Epstein files were released.[26] Starmer dismissed Mandelson, and said that he regretted appointing him.[27][28] The prime minister's Chief of Staff and long-time Starmer ally Morgan McSweeney took responsibility for the appointment and resigned in February 2026.[29][30] Tim Allan, the Director of Communications, resigned the following day.[31]

In April 2026, it was reported that Mandelson had been denied security clearance by security vetting back in January 2025. A government spokesperson said "the decision to grant developed vetting to Peter Mandelson against the recommendation of UK Security Vetting was taken by officials in the FCDO".[32] Starmer said he was not told that he had failed security vetting, and denied claims that he had misled the House of Commons. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper dismissed the most senior civil servant in the Foreign Office Olly Robbins, who said he had been put under "serious pressure" to push through the appointment at a summons to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.[33][34] Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch called Starmer's position "untenable",[35] while the scandal prompted other party leaders to call for the prime minister's resignation, including Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats; Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK; Zack Polanski, leader of the Greens; Liz Saville Roberts, leader of Plaid Cymru in Westminster; and John Swinney, the leader of the Scottish National Party and First Minister of Scotland.[36]

Timeline

[edit]
See also: Starmer ministry § Departures from the Starmer ministry

Calls for Starmer to resign

[edit]
Anas Sarwar publicly called for Starmer to resign, becoming one of the first Labour politicians to do so.

On 9 February 2026, amid the Mandelson scandal, Anas Sarwar held a press conference in Glasgow to publicly call for Starmer to resign, becoming one of the first Labour politicians to do so. Sarwar stated that "the distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change," citing a series of "mistakes" that he believed were undermining Labour's prospects in the elections. Despite describing Starmer as a "decent man" and a "friend," Sarwar argued that his primary loyalty was to Scotland and that the Prime Minister's continued leadership was sabotaging the party's future.[17]

Sarwar said he had spoken to Starmer earlier that day to inform him of his decision, stating that the two had "disagreed" on the necessity of his resignation. In the immediate aftermath, senior Cabinet members including Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and Chancellor Rachel Reeves rallied behind Starmer, emphasising his mandate and urging party unity. Within Scottish Labour, the move caused significant friction; while Monica Lennon supported Sarwar's "leadership," others like former Scottish Secretary Ian Murray branded the call a threat to party stability. Opposition leaders John Swinney and Russell Findlay characterised the situation as "opportunism" and a "meltdown."[37] Addressing the Parliamentary Labour Party later that evening, Starmer remained defiant, stating he had "won every fight I've ever been in" and refused to walk away.[38]

Catherine West requested for Starmer to set out a timetable for his departure.

On 7 May local elections in England, Scottish Parliament, and Welsh Senedd elections were held, the results were some of the worst ever for Labour, with them receiving about 17% in England, 19% in Scotland, and 11% in Wales.[39] In Wales this was the first election (counting both general and Senedd elections) where Labour lost since 1922. The main parties which they lost support to were the Green Party, Reform UK, and Plaid Cymru in Wales.[40]

In reaction to these elections, several backbench Labour MPs were vocal in their disappointment. Debbie Abrahams believed it would be a matter of months before Starmer would step down as prime minister, and Clive Betts said the prime minister should step down in the not-too-distant future.[22] Starmer, in an interview with The Observer, said: "I want 10 years in No 10 and will fight my challengers."[41] On 9 May, former Foreign Office junior minister Catherine West said that she would launch a leadership challenge against Starmer if the cabinet did not move against him.[42] She needed nominations from 81 MPs (20% of the parliamentary party) to start a leadership election, although she said she did not wish to stand, leading some to label her a stalking horse.[43] She later clarified that she was requesting the prime minister to "set out a timetable for his departure". In a move that The Guardian described as "bizarre", West said on 14 May that if a leadership contest did happen, she might support Starmer anyway.[44]

Starmer speech and initial resignations

[edit]
Wes Streeting resigned as health secretary and was highly critical of Starmer's leadership in his resignation letter.

On the morning of 11 May, Starmer held a press conference that was reported by The Guardian as his "final chance to save his premiership". Reflecting on the local election results and his own position, Starmer said: "I'm not going to stand here and pretend this isn't a tough moment for our party, or that we didn't take a bruising at the ballot box. But let me be perfectly clear about my position: I am not running away from the challenge, nor am I going to change course because the political weather has turned. My position is, and will remain, completely fixed on the long-term renewal of this country, regardless of the short-term political cost.".[45] While this conference bought Starmer a temporary reprieve from an immediate formal challenge, it did not stop the internal pressure on his leadership as political analysts and internal Labour MPs widely deemed the execution ineffective. As of 11 May 2026, around eighty Labour MPs had called on Starmer to set a date for his departure.[46] Four parliamentary private secretaries resigned following the speech: Tom Rutland, Joe Morris, Melanie Ward, and Naushabah Khan. Sally Jameson, another PPS, did not resign but called on Starmer to go.

There were reports that four cabinet ministers had urged Starmer to go, including Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.[47][48] Defenders of the prime minister such as Angela Eagle said that days before the state opening of parliament on 13 May was "not the time for destabilisation".[49]

On 12 May, four junior ministers resigned from the government: Miatta Fahnbulleh[50] (the Minister for Devolution, Faith and Communities), Jess Philips[51] (the Minister of Safeguarding), Alex Davies-Jones (the Victims Minister), and Zubir Ahmed (a Minister of Health). Philips said in her resignation statement, "The desire not to have an argument means we rarely make an argument, leaving opportunities for progress stalled and delayed."[51] On 12 May 2026, appointments were made to replace ministers who had resigned during the day.[52]

On 14 May 2026, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting resigned from the cabinet. In his resignation letter, while praising his own achievements in the role, Streeting strongly criticised Starmer's leadership, stating that he had lost confidence in him and that it would be "dishonourable and unprincipled" to remain in the cabinet.[53] Rosie Wrighting also resigned as private secretary in the Department of Health.[54]

Defence spending disputes

[edit]
John Healey resigned as defence secretary over disagreements with the government's defence spending plans.

On 11 June 2026, Secretary of State for Defence John Healey resigned from the cabinet, citing disagreements with the government's defence spending plans. In his resignation letter, he argued that the Defence Investment Plan agreed by the Treasury was insufficient to meet the United Kingdom's strategic defence objectives, that the settlement delayed necessary investment and risked leaving the armed forces under-resourced amid increasing international threats, including the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and the 2026 Iran war. He stated that because Starmer was "unable" and the Treasury "unwilling" to match the funding required, he was left with no option but to step down.[55]

Numerous media outlets reported the resignation of Healey as shock and sudden,[56][57] and reported the substantial impact it would have on Starmer's premiership.[58][59][60][61]

Also on 11 June, Al Carns, the Armed Forces minister, and Pamela Nash, Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Healey also resigned over disagreements with the defence investment plan.[62][63]

Makerfield by-election

[edit]
Main article: 2026 Makerfield by-election

On 18 June 2026, a by-election was held in Makerfield after sitting MP Josh Simons resigned to allow Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester to stand for a seat in Parliament.[64] Possession of a parliamentary seat then permitted Burnham to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer's leadership position. It was the first time since the 1965 Leyton by-election that a by-election had been caused specifically to provide a vacancy for a person not currently in Parliament.

Burnham won the by-election with almost 25,000 votes and a majority of over 9,200 votes, exceeding expectations from opinion polls which projected that he would win by a narrow margin over Reform UK. In the event, Reform considerably underperformed compared with its showing in the 2026 local elections, while tactical squeezing of the Liberal Democrat and Green Party vote was considered to help Burnham.[65][66]

Burnham's victory returned him to the House of Commons on 22 June for the first time since 2017 and made him eligible to stand in any Labour leadership contest.[67]

Starmer's resignation

[edit]

On 22 June 2026, Starmer announced his resignation as Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party and asked the Labour Party's National Executive Committee to set the timetable for choosing his successor, with nominations due to open on 9 July, and the process to conclude before the summer recess. If only one challenger receives the required nominations, the leadership contest concludes at the close of nominations on 16 July. Starmer remains in his positions until the conclusion of the leadership election.[68][69]

Reactions

[edit]

Labour

[edit]

On 12 May 2026, 103 Labour MPs signed a letter of support for the Prime Minister, coordinated by a group of Labour backbenchers, adding that this is "no time for a leadership contest."[70] According to The Guardian, this number increased to over 110.[71]

In May 2026, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said that "no-one seems to have the names to stand up" against Starmer, telling everyone to "take a breath". Miatta Fahnbulleh, who was one of the first to resign from the government, told Starmer that "the public does not believe that you can lead this change – and nor do I". Sarwar called for Starmer to resign but also was quoted as saying "he hadn't turned the screws on colleagues" to force their hand, saying it was a decision only for Westminster.[72]

Conservatives

[edit]

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described Starmer's speech on 11 May 2026 as "very sad to watch", adding that Labour members are too "busy arguing over who should drive the car" but "they are all heading in the wrong direction". She also said that she does "not take pleasure in watching the Prime Minister flounder."[73] Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden said that Starmer has "lost the confidence of the country", and that he had "no option but to go".[74]

Starmer warned Labour MPs to not "turn back to the chaos and instability" of the last Conservative government (referring to the July 2022 United Kingdom government crisis that ended Johnson's premiership and the October 2022 United Kingdom government crisis that ended Truss' premiership) adding that "the British people expect the government to get on with the job of changing our country for the better."[75]

Green Party

[edit]

In response to Starmer's resignation announcement, Green Party leader Zack Polanski stated that “Starmer lost the confidence of the country because of his abject failure to challenge the power and wealth of an establishment” and added Andy Burnham “must be bold or he will be bust” if he replaces Sir Keir in Downing Street.[76]

Political commentators

[edit]

According to HuffPost UK, following Starmer's speech on 11 May 2026, some political commentators labelled Starmer and the Labour Party "hypocrites" for managing the transition internally rather than calling an immediate general election. These critics drew direct comparisons to 2022, noting that during the Conservative Party leadership transitions of Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, Starmer had explicitly insisted that changing a prime minister without a public vote lacked a democratic mandate and demanded a general election.[75]

Parliamentary Labour Party responses

[edit]

Calls for Starmer's resignation

[edit]

According to Labour List, on 14 May 2026 158 Labour MPs had shown support for Starmer, 103 had called for him to resign or set out a timetable, and 143 were either unknown or had not taken a position.[77] The Labour MPs who had called for Starmer's resignation include:

Calls for Starmer's resignation (103)

Calls for party unity

[edit]

On 13 May 2026, 111 Labour MPs signed a letter "urging unity and a focus on regaining public trust", in order to combat a challenging period for the party."[78] That number expanded to 160 a couple of days later.[77] However, there were some allegations by some MPs that they had their names put on the list without their permission.[79] The Labour MPs who have supported party unity and Starmer include:

Calls for party unity (158)

References

[edit]
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