BURNHAM BROADLY POPULAR AMONG LABOUR MEMBERS
Polls of Labour party members indicate Burnham would win a formal leadership contest, although some Labour lawmakers hope that process can be avoided.
Starmer, 63, has repeatedly vowed to fight on, despite scandals, policy U-turns and accusations of indecision, wanting to finish his five-year term by fulfilling his vow to solve some of Britain’s most pressing problems.
But about a quarter of his lawmakers have urged him to quit since Labour suffered heavy losses in local elections last month, and more were adding their names.
Senior colleagues, including the defence and health ministers, have resigned.
Some Labour lawmakers said the party should give Starmer the weekend to reflect and consider stepping down.
A Burnham ally, Labour lawmaker Louise Haigh, told the BBC she hoped “that Andy and the prime minister can speak over the coming days”.
“We want to avoid a leadership contest if possible, and we hope that we can agree (on) a way forward,” she said.
Many Labour members of parliament fear losing their seats in the next election, due in 2029, to Farage’s party, which has led opinion polls for more than a year.
Another of Starmer’s rivals, former health minister Wes Streeting, said this week he would force a contest soon unless the prime minister announced when he would stand down. He said Burnham’s victory was proof that Labour needed to change.
Party rules require 20 per cent of the parliamentary party, or 81 lawmakers, to announce they are backing a single candidate to trigger a leadership challenge.