Keir Starmer faces Labour revolt as Andy Burnham moves into Parliament

London,UPDATED: Jun 21, 2026 14:16 IST

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under mounting pressure over his future, with calls growing inside the Labour Party for him to step aside or face a leadership challenge from Andy Burnham. Starmer has publicly said he will stay on, but expectations are rising that he could announce a timetable for his resignation as soon as Monday.

The pressure has intensified after Burnham, until this week the mayor of Greater Manchester, won a special election and is set to be sworn in as a member of the House of Commons on Monday. That now puts him in a position to challenge Starmer for the Labour leadership.

Starmer spent the weekend at Chequers, the country residence used by British prime ministers, with his family. Business Secretary Peter Kyle said on Sunday that Starmer is "making time to reflect on the political realities, challenges and opportunities that he finds himself in". Kyle also told the BBC, "I know he is a prime minister who always puts his country first," but said reports that Starmer will resign were "speculation".

Discontent with Starmer has been building for months as Labour lawmakers try to halt the government's falling popularity after the party's landslide election win in July 2024. He has struggled to deliver the economic growth he promised, improve stretched public services and ease the cost of living. He has also been hit by repeated missteps, including appointing Peter Mandelson, described in the report as a scandal-tarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as the UK's ambassador to the United States. Labour is also losing liberal voters to the growing Green Party, while Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, continues to top national opinion polls.

Burnham won the seat of Makerfield in north-western England in Thursday's special election with nearly 55 per cent of the 45,510 votes cast, finishing more than 9,000 votes ahead of Reform UK in second place. In his acceptance speech, he made clear he sees a wider opening ahead. "Everyone knows that politics isn't working," he said. "Everyone can feel that the country isn't where it should be. Tonight could, just could, be the turning point."

Starmer congratulated Burnham on Friday but said he would not step aside if a contest was called. "I will run, I will stand," Starmer said. "I've said repeatedly I'm not going to walk away from that." But Charlie Falconer, a senior Labour member of the House of Lords, told the BBC on Saturday that Starmer had "absolutely no authority" left and said, "There should be an agreed transition process in which Andy and Keir cooperate as to when the handover should take place." With Burnham entering Parliament and pressure on Starmer increasing, the Labour Party now faces a crucial moment over its leadership.

With PTI Inputs

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