Possible Contenders in U.K. Labour Party Leadership Race
As embattled British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces a likely leadership contest, several rivals are positioning themselves to challenge him for the leadership of the Labour Party and the country. If a leadership race is triggered, the winner will be selected by the party membership. Here are the possible contenders:
Wes Streeting
The 43-year-old rising Labour star resigned as health minister with a pointed message stating he had 'lost confidence' in Starmer. He urged debate on the party's future direction with the 'best possible field of candidates' rather than launching a solo bid. Streeting, whose full name is Wesley, was one of the most visible Labour figures during the 2024 election campaign and is hailed as one of its best communicators. Popular on the party's right, he comes from a working-class background, growing up on an east London municipal housing estate he has described as 'grim' and attending state school. Streeting has spoken about his grandfather being an armed robber who knew notorious London gangsters the Kray Brothers. After studying at Cambridge University, he was elected an MP in 2015. He came out as gay while a student, and his partner is a communications adviser. In a potentially damaging connection, Streeting initially defended Labour grandee Peter Mandelson when he was sacked as US ambassador over his association with US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, though Streeting has denied being close friends with Mandelson.
Angela Rayner
Former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner hinted at standing when she announced she had resolved a tax issue that led her to leave the government. Rayner is well-liked on Labour's left-wing and known for her straight-talking style. The 46-year-old is an outlier in a country long dominated by a ruling class disproportionately educated at private schools and Oxford and Cambridge universities. She grew up in social housing in northern England, left school at 16 when she became a single mother. A trade unionist before being elected to parliament in 2015, she became Labour's number two in 2020. She resigned last year over unpaid property tax but said she had paid up and been cleared of deliberate wrongdoing. Rayner has three children, one of whom has a serious disability.
Andy Burnham
Popular mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham needs to become an MP before any leadership bid and has announced his intention to stand in a by-election. He said he wanted to return to parliament because 'much bigger change is needed at a national level'. The 56-year-old, seen as representing Labour's 'soft left', became an MP in 2001 and served as health minister under Gordon Brown. After twice standing unsuccessfully for party leader, he left parliament in 2017 to become mayor of the northern England metropolis.
