Overview
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer has told allies he will stand and “fight” any leadership challenge, and Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has publicly pledged to back him.
- Andy Burnham is campaigning in the Makerfield by‑election and has said he will enter a Labour leadership contest if elected to Parliament.
- Polling reported by Survation shows Burnham ahead in Makerfield in some surveys, but the constituency is competitive because Reform UK and other right‑leaning candidates could split the non‑Labour vote.
- Former health secretary Wes Streeting has resigned and declared he intends to be a candidate, increasing the number of high‑profile figures prepared to contest the leadership race.
- If Burnham wins on June 18 and then wins the backing of 81 Labour MPs, a formal leadership ballot could follow with risks for Labour’s unity, its public standing and the opposition’s chances nationally.