Political situation in the UK

The way is being cleared for a new challenger to the prime minister

Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is increasingly looking like the strongest challenger to Labour leader and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, British media report. This is despite the fact that he cannot currently be formally elected as a replacement.

Because that requires being a Labour MP, and Burnham is not.

However, he may become one soon – a former top name for Labour in an upcoming local election has left his seat to give Burnham a chance to be elected to parliament, which according to several media outlets indicates Burnham's strong support internally.

According to a source for The Times, Starmer is now considering giving up the fight.

- He needs to go with dignity.

Starmer himself and his staff have denied all reports and speculation that a resignation is imminent.

Analysis: Everyone has their sights set on Starmer – but no one is firing

All of Labour’s biggest guns have been turned on Keir Starmer, but no one has yet dared to fire them. That’s how The Telegraph’s Daniel Martin and Tony Driver describe the situation after more than 90 of the party’s 403 MPs called for the British prime minister to resign.

At least four top names are widely considered to be in the running to challenge Starmer, but so far they seem to be just sitting there.

The Guardian’s Jessica Elgot wonders whether the seemingly deadlocked situation could lead to an unexpected alliance between Labour’s centre-left and the so-called “soft left” within the party. The defected health minister Wes Streeting and Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who are considered the candidates for their respective camps, are certainly quite far apart politically. However, Starmer is not their only common enemy.

“They are both deeply concerned about Reform – and above all, about the rise of bizarre and routine racism from the far right,” she writes.

In The Times, Patrick Maguire writes that everything ultimately depends on whether Andy Burnham wins the upcoming local elections. If he doesn’t, he won’t have a formal chance to stand as party leader. If he does, on the other hand, he has already shown that he can beat Nigel Farage and Reform at the polls.

“And if he does, he could well be prime minister within eight weeks.”