The Labour Party is bracing for a potential leadership contest as Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham position themselves to challenge Keir Starmer. Both are anticipating dissatisfaction within the party and are preparing to capitalize on the results of the upcoming local elections.

Streeting Secures Support for Leadership Bid

Wes Streeting, the current Health Secretary, has reportedly secured the backing of over 81 Labour MPs – the number required to launch a formal leadership contest. He is considering announcing a bid as early as next Friday, immediately after the local elections on May 7th.

Strategic Timing and Potential Tactics

Streeting’s supporters are aiming for a swift challenge, potentially before other contenders like Angela Rayner or Burnham can fully prepare. Discussions are underway regarding Streeting potentially resigning to force Starmer’s hand or directly announcing a leadership campaign.

Burnham Plans Return to Westminster

Simultaneously, Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, is planning a return to Westminster ‘within weeks’. He is actively seeking parliamentary seats where current MPs are willing to step down, creating opportunities for by-elections.

Avoiding a Direct Challenge

Burnham’s camp reportedly aims to create a situation where Starmer feels compelled to resign after the local election results, rather than initiating a direct leadership challenge. Previous attempts to contest a by-election in Gorton and Denton were blocked by Labour’s NEC due to concerns about costs and potential gains for Reform UK.

Preparing for a Future Role

Burnham is preparing to endorse a strong candidate to succeed him as Mayor of Greater Manchester – someone who is not currently an MP – while simultaneously developing a progressive policy platform for a potential government role. Constituencies in Merseyside and Greater Manchester are being targeted for potential by-elections.

Internal Discussions and Potential Alliances

Reports suggest Angela Rayner is in talks with Ed Miliband and Burnham about a potential ‘soft Left coup’, although her own decision to run remains uncertain. A leaked internal communication from Downing Street revealed details of Streeting’s ‘PFG’ and ‘five pillars’ of his leadership campaign.

Pressure on Starmer

Despite a spokesperson for Streeting maintaining his support for Starmer, speculation is rife that the Labour leader could face mounting pressure to resign if the party suffers significant losses in the upcoming local elections. With around 5,000 council seats at stake across England, alongside elections in Wales and Scotland, the results will be a crucial indicator of the party’s standing.

Some sources suggest Starmer might announce his departure at the September Party Conference, but pressure from within the party could force his hand sooner. A Labour source commented, ‘I don’t think anyone really understands the scale of what is going to happen next week.’