2026 Labour Party leadership crisis

The 2026 UK government crisis in the United Kingdom emerged amid mounting public dissatisfaction with the government of Keir Starmer. Facing a prolonged cost-of-living crisis, as well as numerous protests, U-turns and scandals, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's popularity has declined, which has led to fractures within the Labour Party. By the end of 2025, opinion polls rated Starmer as one of Britain's most unpopular prime ministers, drawing comparisons to the shortest serving prime minister, Liz...

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2026

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Al Carns resigns as armed forces minister hours after defence secretary steps down+ 1 event11 Jun 2026

The UK defence minister’s shock resignation is a warning for all of Europe+ 1 event11 Jun 2026

Healey quits as defence secretary in row over military spending+ 1 event11 Jun 2026

Healey resignation torpedoes Starmer+ 1 event11 Jun 2026

U.K. Defense Secretary Resigns, in a Blow to Starmer+ 1 event11 Jun 2026

Polite but deadly: John Healey skewers Keir Starmer as he heads for the door+ 1 event11 Jun 2026

Armed forces minister quits after Healey exit as defence funding row deepens+ 1 event11 Jun 2026

Ministerial appointment: 11 June 2026+ 1 event11 Jun 2026

Jarvis appointed defence secretary after two ministerial resignations+ 1 event11 Jun 2026

Dan Jarvis appointed as new Defence Secretary+ 1 event11 Jun 2026

Burnham says he would seek to enter any Labour leadership contest5 Jun 2026

Starmer can survive a leadership challenge, cabinet minister warns PM’s critics5 Jun 2026

Andy Burnham confirmed as Labour candidate in Makerfield19 May 2026

Former Welsh first minister: ‘Starmer should step down’19 May 2026

Former first minister Drakeford says Andy Burnham should be PM19 May 2026

Andy Burnham confirmed as Labour candidate in Makerfield19 May 2026

Tens of thousands march through London for far-right and pro-Palestine protests – as it happened16 May 2026

'Why are we even doing this?' The week that left Britain's PM looking like an interim leader16 May 2026

Wes Streeting confirms he will run in any Labour leadership race16 May 2026

Wes Streeting confirms he will stand if Labour leadership race is triggered16 May 2026

Kettering MP resigns from Department of Health job15 May 2026

Which Labour MPs are calling for Starmer to go - and who is still backing PM?14 May 2026

May 2026 elections analysis: England, Scotland and Wales14 May 2026

Wes Streeting resigns as health secretary - his letter in full14 May 2026

Labour MP to stand down to allow Burnham run for byelection amid leadership row14 May 2026

Andy Burnham says he'll try to run for Parliament after MP says he'll stand down for him14 May 2026

Starmer will not attempt to block Burnham from standing to be MP in Makerfield - as it happened14 May 2026

Wes Streeting resigns as health secretary - his letter in full14 May 2026

Streeting would lose leadership contest against Keir Starmer, poll reveals14 May 2026

Sir Keir Starmer has failed abjectly. He should go14 May 2026

Westminster waits in frenzied limbo before Wes jumpstarts day of drama14 May 2026

'Pin a Tail on a Constituency Andy Burnham Could Run In' item13 May 2026

Andy Burnham's camp scrambles to challenge a Wes Streeting leadership bid13 May 2026

Tribune MPs Ready To Fight For Burnham Inclusion If Streeting Runs13 May 2026

City AM / Freshwater Strategy May Polling Data13 May 2026

Wes Streeting: Ambitious minister at centre of leadership speculation13 May 2026

Streeting allies expect leadership challenge against Starmer13 May 2026

Starmer holds 16-minute meeting with Streeting amid leadership crisis13 May 2026

Wes Streeting poised to resign to force leadership election against Starmer13 May 2026

Wes Streeting plans to resign and mount leadership challenge, allies say13 May 2026

Starmer to meet with Streeting ahead of King's Speech13 May 2026

Jess Phillips resigns as minister after Keir Starmer tells cabinet he is not stepping down – UK politics live12 May 2026

Jess Phillips resigns as minister telling Starmer 'deeds, not words, matter' after PM says he won't quit12 May 2026

Starmer given a lifeline after Streeting challenge fails to materialise12 May 2026

Starmer Warns Labour MPs Not To 'Turn Back To Chaos' Of The Tories As He Fights To Remain PM12 May 2026

Full list of Labour MPs backing Starmer 'to deliver change the country needs'12 May 2026

Andy Burnham holds secret meeting with MPs in London12 May 2026

Andy Burnham Meets MPs In London As Manchester Mayor Sets Sights On No 1012 May 2026

Andy Burnham can save Labour and defeat Reform. He should be the next prime minister12 May 2026

Aberdeen Marines veteran 'preparing for leadership bid' to replace struggling Sir Keir Starmer12 May 2026

Are these the front runners to challenge Sir Keir Starmer?12 May 2026

Watch ITV Evening News as pressure mounts on Prime Minister after ministers resign12 May 2026

Cabinet ministers turn on Starmer and urge him to quit12 May 2026

What is happening with Keir Starmer's leadership: at-a-glance12 May 2026

Wes Streeting faces narrow road to Labour members' favour12 May 2026

Burnham allies warn against quick 'coronation' of Streeting if Starmer quits12 May 2026

Keir Starmer's replacement? Andy Burnham's prospects among Labour members and the general public12 May 2026

More than 100 Labour MPs sign statement against Starmer leadership challenge12 May 2026

Political turmoil and inflation threat vie to push up UK borrowing costs12 May 2026

UK long-term borrowing costs dip from 28-year high after Starmer allies back PM – as it happened12 May 2026

How Catherine West became a stalking horse – then reined herself in11 May 2026

What did Keir Starmer say in 'last chance' speech to save his premiership?11 May 2026

Pressure on Starmer mounts as more than 70 Labour MPs call for him to quit11 May 2026

Keir Starmer latest: cabinet ministers tell PM to consider his position11 May 2026

Four ministerial aides quit as 70 Labour MPs call for Starmer to resign11 May 2026

Kemi Badenoch slams 'floundering' Starmer's speech as 'sad to watch'11 May 2026

Labour officials 'backing away' from blocking return of Andy Burnham11 May 2026

Cabinet split as Mahmood calls on Starmer to set out timetable to go11 May 2026

Rayner launches bombshell attack on Starmer Government saying he has to change 'now'11 May 2026

Watch Angela Rayner speak after Starmer vows to fight on11 May 2026

Angela Rayner speech in full as she gives scathing verdict on Burnham ruling11 May 2026

Rayner insists 'tweaks' won't fix fundamental issues facing Britain - as 40 MPs and counting call on Starmer to quit11 May 2026

Starmer faces fight to survive as Streeting and Rayner eye leadership bids11 May 2026

What Streeting as PM could mean for your taxes, welfare and immigration11 May 2026

Keir Starmer teeters on the brink as Cabinet splits emerge on PM's future11 May 2026

Three ministerial aides quit as more than 50 Labour MPs call for Starmer to resign+ 1 event11 May 2026

Elections results in full: Full map for every seat across England, Wales and Scotland10 May 2026

Keir Starmer's party lost big in U.K. local elections. Here's what comes next10 May 2026

Rayner issues 'last chance' warning to PM and backs Burnham to return10 May 2026

Most Labour members think Starmer cannot revive party fortunes, poll finds9 May 2026

How the winner-takes-all voting system has turned on Labour and the Tories9 May 2026

Sir Keir Starmer makes Gordon Brown an envoy as he seeks reset after Labour election losses9 May 2026

Why has Starmer brought Brown and Harman back after disastrous election losses?9 May 2026

Labour MP says she will trigger leadership contest by Monday if cabinet does not launch challenge – as it happened9 May 2026

MPs from Labour's left to urge Ed Miliband to consider leadership bid9 May 2026

Plaid Cymru wins Welsh Senedd elections, ending 100 years of Labour control+ 1 event8 May 2026

After more than a century, Labour has lost Wales8 May 2026

2026-Labour-Party-Leadership-Crisis7 May 2026

YouGov Survey Results27 Apr 2026

Half of Britons think Keir Starmer should stand down as Prime Minister27 Apr 2026

Political favourability ratings, April 202622 Apr 2026

Key points from Starmer's Mandelson statement20 Apr 2026

Officials deliberately withheld Mandelson vetting result from me, Starmer says20 Apr 2026

Revealed: Mandelson failed vetting but Foreign Office overruled decision16 Apr 2026

Starmer sacks top Foreign Office official after Mandelson vetting revelations16 Apr 2026

City AM / Freshwater Strategy April Polling Data16 Apr 2026

When forced to choose Britons prefer a Labour government led by Keir Starmer to a Reform UK government led by Nigel Farage2 Apr 2026

Unite union cuts Labour funding by 40% over Birmingham bin strike11 Mar 2026

The ex-Special Forces colonel tipped as future PM - and the moves he's making8 Mar 2026

City AM / Freshwater Strategy March Polling Data4 Mar 2026

Gorton and Denton result live: Hannah Spencer wins by-election for Greens as Starmer's Labour plunged into crisis27 Feb 2026

Andy Burnham could have won Gorton and Denton27 Feb 2026

Green party wins Gorton and Denton byelection, pushing Labour to third place27 Feb 2026

Over two thirds of Britons do not have confidence that the government is running the country with competence or integrity, Ipsos poll reveals19 Feb 2026

Every U-turn the Labour government has made since being elected in July 202417 Feb 2026

Is Sir Keir Starmer the 'most unpopular' PM in recent times? – Full Fact13 Feb 2026

'Jellyfish' and 'doormat': why is Keir Starmer so deeply unpopular?12 Feb 2026

Political favourability ratings, February 202612 Feb 2026

The Mandelson situation and his ongoing relationship with Oxford – The Oxford Student10 Feb 2026

Who could replace Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister?10 Feb 2026

Anas Sarwar to call for Keir Starmer to resign as Prime Minister+ 1 event9 Feb 2026

No 10 communications chief quits as Mandelson fallout deepens9 Feb 2026

Cabinet ministers rally round PM as Sarwar calls for him to quit+ 1 event9 Feb 2026

Keir Starmer, you have two choices now – sort your warring party out or call an election9 Feb 2026

McSweeney quits as Starmer's chief of staff, saying he takes 'full responsibility' for advising Mandelson appointment+ 1 event8 Feb 2026

Morgan McSweeney resigns and says he takes 'full responsibility' for advising Starmer to appoint Mandelson – UK politics live8 Feb 2026

Starmer would defeat Streeting in leadership contest, poll suggests6 Feb 2026

PM says he knew when giving Mandelson US job he had kept ties with Epstein after conviction4 Feb 2026

City AM / Freshwater Strategy February Polling Data4 Feb 2026

How do Britons feel about an Andy Burnham comeback?27 Jan 2026

On Labour's soft left, the question isn't whether to challenge Starmer, but when26 Jan 2026

Andy Burnham 'disappointed' after bid to become MP blocked25 Jan 2026

Andy Burnham seeks permission to stand in by-election24 Jan 2026

Starmer allies urge him to block Andy Burnham from running in byelection24 Jan 2026

Andy Burnham, next PM? The big hurdle facing popular mayor23 Jan 2026

City AM / Freshwater Strategy January Polling Data14 Jan 2026

2025

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Why is Keir Starmer so unpopular?23 Dec 2025

Political favourability ratings, December 202516 Dec 2025

Andy Burnham preferred to Keir Starmer as PM, narrowly leads Nigel Farage12 Dec 2025

Al Carns: Former marine touted as Labour's next leader12 Dec 2025

City AM / Freshwater Strategy December Polling Data3 Dec 2025

Starmer would lose leadership contest to Streeting, Rayner, Burnham and Miliband22 Nov 2025

City AM / Freshwater Strategy November Polling Data12 Nov 2025

Nigel Farage leads Keir Starmer in head-to-head on who Britons would prefer as Prime Minister29 Oct 2025

Political favourability ratings, October 202516 Oct 2025

City AM / Freshwater Strategy October Polling Data14 Oct 2025

Westminster voting intention: Starmer approval hits new low as Reform extends lead over Labour2 Oct 2025

Forget Burnham – these are the five people who could actually be the next PM1 Oct 2025

Survey Report29 Sep 2025

Opinium Voting Intention: 24th September 202527 Sep 2025

For the first time, Britons split on whether Keir Starmer or Nigel Farage would make a better Prime Minister25 Sep 2025

David Lammy appointed Deputy Prime Minister in cabinet reshuffle5 Sep 2025

Angela Rayner resigns after underpaying tax on Hove flat5 Sep 2025

Welfare reforms: 'We're not scroungers, we just want the right to live'1 Jul 2025

Starmer has delivered some key wins for the UK recently, so why is he so unpopular?25 May 2025

2024

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Angela Rayner: The story behind the UK's new deputy prime minister5 Jul 2024

UK election: What's happened, and what comes next4 Jul 2024

2021

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Labour's Andy Burnham re-elected as the Mayor of Greater Manchester with landslide win9 May 2021

2017

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Mayor Andy Burnham's victory speech – Manchester 1 Liverpool 05 May 2017

2016

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A quick guide to Labour's leaders23 Sep 2016

2015

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Andy Burnham: Labour spending was not profligate17 May 2015

Andy Burnham becomes third candidate to declare Labour leadership bid13 May 2015

2010

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Andy Burnham and Diane Abbott join Labour leadership race19 May 2010

Yanukovych set to become president as observers say Ukraine election was fair+ 5 events8 Feb 2010

2000

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Labour coasts to victory in Tottenham23 Jun 2000

Undated

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UK Government U-Turn Tracker | 13 Policy Reversals and Counting

What Britons think of Keir Starmer, in their own words

Why do many Britons feel let down by Labour?

How do Britons see Labour, ahead of their 2025 party conference?

Political favourability ratings, January 2026

Appointment of Lord Mandelson as the next British Ambassador to the United States of America

Prime Minister - Hansard - UK Parliament

Badenoch says Starmer's position untenable as PM 'furious' over Mandelson vetting

Keir Starmer: I want 10 years in No 10 and will fight my challengers

Starmer latest: PM to meet Streeting on Wednesday after four ministers resign over PM's leadership

Tories: PM has lost confidence of country

Labour MPs 'signed' pro-Starmer letter without their knowledge

Result 2024

Chess pieces are set up for Burnham, the King of the North, to make his move

Labour favourability

Approval of Andy Burnham and other Labour figures

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband sets out his priorities for the department

As pressure on Starmer continues, Andy Burnham continues to be the most popular alternative

What do Labour members think of the party leadership, May 2026?

Labour Leader poll for Mail on Sunday

Labour members polling

%D0%A3%D1%80%D1%8F%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0 %D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%B0 %D1%83 %D0%92%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BA%D1%96%D0%B9 %D0%91%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%96%D1%97 (2026)

At a glance: Starmer grapples with leadership crisis

2026 elections mapped: how Labour lost ground in different directions

UK PM Starmer admits Mandelson mistake, rejects resignation calls

Andy Burnham to try to run for Parliament after Labour MP says he'll stand down for him+ 1 event

Wes Streeting quits cabinet and calls on Starmer to resign

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Starmer facing ‘crisis of vision’, UK parliament hears, but has ‘full confidence’ in Streeting

Political Leadership Polling | May 2026

John Healey (@JohnHealey_MP) on X+ 1 event

John Healey's resignation is the beginning of the end for Starmer+ 1 event

Armed Forces Minister Al Carns quits hours after Defence Secretary John Healey steps down over military spending plans - live updates+ 2 events

Al Carns becomes latest to resign from government in fallout from John Healey's exit+ 1 event