At least two senior Labour MPs are considering launching a leadership bid in an effort to prevent Andy Burnham from becoming prime minister without a meaningful internal contest, according to the BBC.
Former defence minister Al Carns said he is weighing whether to stand, while, according to BBC News, Sir Keir Starmer’s chief secretary Darren Jones has also not ruled out entering the race.
Fears of a “coronation” without contest
Within Labour ranks, concern is growing that following Sir Keir’s resignation announcement on Monday, Burnham could become prime minister as soon as July 17, just one day after the nomination deadline closes.
However, a significant number of MPs are uneasy about the prospect of a new leader emerging without their political positions being tested in a full internal process.
Some MPs are urging Jones, a close ally of Starmer, to stand. Although this is seen as unlikely, he is understood not to have ruled it out entirely.
Carns keeps options open
Carns, who served as defence minister until stepping down earlier this month over defence spending, also hinted at possible interest in the top job.
“I am not ready to make a decision, in any way,” he told ITV’s Peston on Monday evening.
He added that the party must move from politics driven by tactics to a more strategic approach, saying he is looking for “big objective goals” for 2029 and 2034 or 2035.
Timeline for succession
Keir Starmer said he has asked the Labour Party’s governing body to set the timetable for his replacement, with nominations opening on July 9 and closing before the parliamentary summer recess on July 16.
Potential candidates must secure the backing of at least 81 Labour MPs by then.
Burnham seen as frontrunner after Makerfield win
Burnham is widely seen as the favourite to succeed Sir Keir following his decisive victory over a Reform UK candidate in last week’s Makerfield by-election.
The former Greater Manchester mayor, who was formally sworn in as an MP on Monday, has confirmed he will stand in the leadership contest.
Wes Streeting had been expected to be his main challenger, but the former health secretary quickly endorsed Burnham, increasing the likelihood of what some are calling a “coronation.”
Pressure for a full leadership race
John Slinger, Labour MP for Rugby, expressed a view shared by many in the party, who see a full leadership contest as “necessary.”
“I think people out there would think we’ve lost our minds a bit if we didn’t follow a process whereby those who aspire to take the highest office in the country are subjected to entirely normal scrutiny,” he told the BBC’s The World Tonight on Monday.
Opposition parties demand answers
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described Sir Keir as a “failed prime minister” and criticised Labour policies, saying its MPs “only want higher taxes to pay for more welfare”.
“These are Labour’s choices and values, regardless of who leads the party,” she added.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said voters are tired of “an endless carousel of prime ministers” with no real change.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called for a general election, saying that “if Labour think they can simply push another career politician into Number 10, they are mistaken.”
Green Party co-leader Zack Polanski said many would hope Burnham could bring “real change,” but added that “the verdict is still out.”
What comes next in British politics
Britain is heading towards its fifth prime minister in four years, after Keir Starmer announced he intends to resign.
According to The Guardian, the move was widely expected after months of mounting pressure. Starmer had led Labour to a landslide victory in the 2024 general election but had recently faced intense calls from MPs to step down.
His departure paves the way for replacement within weeks, most likely by Burnham. Burnham served as a minister under Gordon Brown from 2007 to 2010 and as mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017 until last week.
Many within Labour see him as the party’s best hope against the populist right led by Nigel Farage.
How British politics reached this point
Starmer, a former human rights lawyer with a measured public image, had been viewed as a pragmatic leader capable of restoring stability after years of political turmoil that saw multiple Conservative prime ministers after the 2019 election.
Despite winning the largest parliamentary majority in a century, there was a sense even among Labour supporters that he lacked political instinct and a clear ideological direction.
This perception was reinforced by a series of missteps, including cuts to winter heating allowances for pensioners and a policy reversal on welfare reforms after a parliamentary revolt.
Mandelson scandal and political fallout
Starmer’s leadership crisis deepened after appointing controversial former Labour minister Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States, despite known links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
When the extent of Mandelson’s connections became public in September 2025, he was dismissed, but the damage had already been done, drawing Starmer into one of Britain’s most significant political scandals since World War II.
At the same time, Labour’s declining poll ratings fuelled panic within the party. Many believed Starmer could no longer counter the rise of Reform UK.
Farage’s party had dominated both Labour and Conservatives in local elections last year and again recently, accelerating the loss of support and prompting ministerial resignations.
Both those who resigned and others in the cabinet had publicly and privately urged Starmer to step down. Burnham’s supporters favoured a smooth transition rather than a potentially damaging leadership contest.
