STORY
Keir Starmer is expected to set out a timetable for his departure as Prime Minister after growing pressure from Labour MPs following Andy Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield by-election. Reports on Monday said Starmer had spent the weekend considering his position after previously saying that he would contest any leadership challenge.
Reuters reported that Starmer could announce an orderly transition, with Burnham waiting in the wings after returning to Parliament. The pressure on the Prime Minister has increased since Burnham’s by-election win, which gave him the parliamentary seat needed to mount a leadership challenge from within the House of Commons.
The potential change of leadership would come less than two years after Labour’s landslide general election victory. It would also add to a decade of political instability in the UK, with questions now focusing on whether Labour would hold a full leadership contest or move towards an uncontested handover to Burnham.