Can UK's Starmer stop Labour turning on him?

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced the gravest threat yet to his leadership on Thursday as unrest within the Labour Party spilled into open rebellion, with potential successors manoeuvring for position after the party’s bruising local election losses.

The crisis deepened after Health Secretary Wes Streeting resigned from the Cabinet in a move widely seen as the clearest sign yet that a leadership challenge against Starmer could be imminent. According to AP, Streeting accused the prime minister of lacking direction at a time of mounting political and economic pressure.

“You have shown courage and statesmanship on the world stage,” Streeting wrote in his resignation letter, referring to Starmer’s handling of tensions involving Iran. “But where we need vision, we have a vacuum. Where we need direction, we have drift.”

Streeting also warned that it was now “clear” Starmer would not lead Labour into the next general election.

Rivals position themselves

The growing turmoil has triggered intense speculation over who could replace Starmer if a formal contest begins.

Former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner moved closer to becoming a potential contender after resolving a tax dispute that had forced her to resign from government last year. AFP reported that Rayner said Britain’s tax authorities had cleared her of deliberate wrongdoing in the case.

Rayner stopped short of directly calling for Starmer’s resignation but urged him to “reflect” on his position and indicated she was ready to “play my part” in any future leadership contest.

Popular among Labour’s grassroots and left-wing supporters, Rayner has increasingly emerged as a rallying point for MPs unhappy with Starmer’s centrist leadership style.

Another figure being closely watched is Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor who is widely viewed as a potential leadership contender. However, Burnham currently cannot contest the leadership because he does not hold a seat in Parliament. According to AFP and AP, supporters are exploring ways to return him to Westminster through a by-election if a contest materialises.

Election losses spark revolt

The internal unrest follows a disastrous set of local and regional election results for Labour last week, which exposed growing public frustration over the government’s handling of the economy and living costs.

Labour lost control of the devolved Welsh parliament for the first time and failed to make significant gains against the pro-independence Scottish National Party in Scotland. Meanwhile, the hard-right Reform UK and the Greens made major advances at Labour’s expense.

The political backlash has intensified pressure on Starmer, who led Labour to a landslide general election victory in 2024 after 14 years of Conservative rule.

But less than two years into office, his government has struggled to deliver the economic turnaround many voters expected.

Britain’s stagnant economy and persistent inflation have weighed heavily on households, undermining Labour’s promises to improve living standards and boost growth.

More than 80 Labour MPs have publicly urged Starmer to step aside, although over 100 lawmakers are still backing him to remain leader.

Starmer vows to fight on

Despite the mounting rebellion, Starmer has insisted he will not quit, warning that a leadership battle would plunge Britain into chaos at a time of international instability and economic uncertainty.

His allies have also tried to steady nerves inside the party by pointing to signs of economic improvement.

Official figures released Thursday showed Britain’s economy grew 0.6 per cent in the first quarter, compared with 0.2 per cent in the previous quarter.

Finance Minister Rachel Reeves argued that Labour’s policies were beginning to work and warned colleagues against destabilising the government.

“We shouldn’t put that at risk by plunging the country into chaos at a time when there is conflict in the world,” Reeves told the BBC, according to AP.

There was also some positive political news for Streeting before his resignation. NHS waiting lists — one of his flagship priorities as health secretary — had reportedly fallen for the fifth consecutive month, strengthening his standing among Labour moderates.

Leadership fight looms

Under Labour Party rules, any challenger would require the backing of 81 Labour MPs — equivalent to 20 per cent of the parliamentary party — to trigger a leadership contest.

With dissatisfaction spreading across Labour’s factions, attention is now shifting from whether Starmer faces a challenge to who may ultimately emerge as the party’s next leader.

For now, no senior figure has formally launched a campaign.

But in Westminster, the jockeying has already begun.

— With inputs from AP and AFP