As Prime Minister Keir Starmer enters the new year, he finds himself grappling with a slew of political setbacks and growing unrest within his own party. Despite his efforts to mend relations with backbench MPs, speculation about his future refuses to die down, with the prospect of a potential leadership challenge from Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham looming large.
Starmer’s start to 2026 has been far from the “promise of renewal” he had envisioned. The Prime Minister’s allies may claim his attention has been diverted by ongoing international crises, but the reality on the ground paints a different picture. Humiliating U-turns, stagnant poll numbers, and dissent within Labour’s ranks have all contributed to a growing sense of disarray.
The party’s mood remains despondent, and Starmer’s need to curry favour with his backbenchers has become even more urgent with the prospect of Burnham’s potential return to parliament. The Greater Manchester mayor, widely seen as a potential successor to Starmer, is dominating the conversation within the party, with some describing him as the “only person who can save us from Nigel Farage and fascism.”
The issue now is whether Starmer and his powerful chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, will allow Burnham to stand. Rumours of mechanisms like all-women or all-BAME shortlists being used to prevent him from running have already sparked outrage, with some MPs warning of a severe backlash should such “Machiavellian machinations” be employed.
While some MPs remain skeptical of Burnham’s potential candidacy, the Socialist Campaign Group and other factions within the party are rallying behind the Greater Manchester mayor. They believe that, given the public mood, if Starmer is replaced, it will have to be by someone “untarnished” by the government’s unpopular decisions.
Regardless of whether Burnham returns to Westminster, Starmer faces various other pitfalls. The Prime Minister’s woes are perhaps best exemplified by the Monday flight from Glasgow Airport, which carries the bulk of Scottish MPs down to London to start the parliamentary week. The divide within the party has become increasingly apparent, with some MPs openly questioning Starmer’s ability to lead them into the next election.
As Starmer hosts a dinner for Labour MPs and their partners at Chequers, the Prime Minister will be hoping that an evening of food and wine in a stately home can at least partly win over his disgruntled backbenchers. However, the challenges he faces appear to be mounting, with the spectre of a potential Burnham leadership challenge looming large.
