Uk, four resignations in government: Starmer in the balance

The Guardian newspaper, on the other hand, reports that over a hundred Labour MPs have signed a letter in defence of the British premier.

"Last week we had a series of devastating election results. This shows that we have hard work to do to regain the trust of the electorate. This work must start today, working together to bring about the change the country needs. We must focus on this: this is not the time for a leadership struggle,' the document reads.

Numerically, in Parliament, the pro-Starmer front appears in a slight majority: according to LabourList data, 88 Labour MPs said that the Prime Minister should resign.

UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said Keir Starmer has his 'full support' and urged Labour colleagues to step back and 'take a breath'. Speaking in front of Number 10 Downing Street, Lammy added: 'We have to put the country before the party'. The BBC reports. Lammy went on to point out that the only person who benefits from the Labour Party's 'self-analysis' is Nigel Farage and asked colleagues not to favour him or his Reform party.

Meanwhile, Downing Street reports that government business is proceeding as planned. "As far as I know,the King's Speech will be held tomorrow" as planned. This was stated by the PM's chief secretary, Darren Jones. King Charles III will deliver the so-called 'King's Speech' tomorrow to mark the start of a new parliamentary year. The speech, drafted by the authorities but read by the monarch, sets out the government's legislative agenda for the coming months. According to The Independent, the speech is scheduled to take place at around 11.30 a.m. local time tomorrow, 12.30 p.m. in Italia.

There are many Labour names circulating in the British media as possible successors to the premier. Here is who, at the moment, seems to be in pole position.

The name of Health Minister Wes Streeting is often mentioned as a possible successor to Starmer. Unlike the prime minister, this 43-year-old is considered an effective communicator. He was one of the leading figures in the election campaign that brought the Labour Party back to power, with Keir Starmer at the helm, in July 2024. At the Ministry of Health, Wes Streeting implemented numerous measures aimed atrestoring the image of the Nhs, the National Health Service, which had been compromised by years of budget cuts, endless waiting lists and repeated strikes by doctors. Streeting, who is considered a right-winger in the party, could, however, be hampered by his ties to Peter Mandelson, the former ambassador to Washington at the centre of the Epstein scandal that weakened Keir Starmer. The former minister and former ambassador to Washington was his mentor and supported him during the first election campaign in 2015.

A member of the left wing of the Labour Party, the mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham is the most popular British politician and, according to YouGov, the only one able to attract voters outside the Labour Party. He is also currently the bookmakers' favourite to succeed Starmer. However, the man nicknamed 'the King of the North' faces a major obstacle: according to UK rules, he cannot become prime minister until he has won back a seat in Parliament. An MP, however, could withdraw from a Labour stronghold, thus gaining a chance to win a seat. This process would take several months, hence the idea, popular among some, to pressure Starmer to step down in September.

In January, as calls for Starmer's resignation intensified, the prime minister and his supporters blocked Burnham's bid in the by-election in his region, preventing him from challenging Starmer. At 56, this party veteran had already attempted to win the Labour leadership in 2015, being defeated by Jeremy Corbyn. ElectedMayor of Greater Manchester in 2017, he has since been re-elected twice in a city that competes with Birmingham for the title of Britain's second largest metropolis after London.

The woman who served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Housing until September 2025, Angela Rayner, is a popular figure on Labour's left wing. At 46, she stands out from the other candidates because of herhumble origins. She dropped out of school as a teenager and has no university degree. The rise of Rayner, known for her outspokenness, came to an abrupt halt last September when she resigned after admitting that she had not paid all the taxes due on the purchase of a flat. Some of her critics believe, however, that a left-wing rise in Downing Street could force the Labour Party to call a general election before the scheduled date of 2029.

Although these three names are the most frequently mentioned, others could emerge as a result of what promises to be a chaotic nomination process. Behind-the-scenes manoeuvring and infighting could further damage Labour's image, just as they did with the Conservatives when their prime ministers came and went at a rapid pace after the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Potential replacements include personalities regarded as consensus, such as Defence Minister John Healey and Armed Forces Minister Al Carns. The name of Ed Miliband, Environment Minister who led the Labour Party from 2010 to 2015, has also resurfaced.

Among the names mentioned are also several women, including Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper, Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood, and even MP and former Secretary of State Catherine West, who has partly contributed to the current crisis by threatening last weekend to call internal elections to replace Starmer.