Five Labour members who could challenge Starmer
Healy, Mahmood, Streeting, Burnham and Rayner all touted as potential challengers to PM
Sir Keir Starmer’s position is reportedly under threat on the eve of the Autumn Budget, with Labour members said to be eyeing a replacement.
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Health secretary Wes Streeting has told LBC that the prime minister is not facing a coup, despite Downing Street going “on alert” last night.
Read also: Wes Streeting brands Starmer coup claims 'ridiculous' insisting PM 'is not fighting for his job'
Sir Keir has vowed to “fight on” despite reports that up to 50 frontbenchers are willing to stand down in order to force him out should this month’s Autumn Budget land poorly.
Rumours of a challenge to Sir Keir began with briefings from some in Downing Street on Tuesday, while the Parliamentary Labour Party is described as being "feral" and "deeply unhappy" with the situation.
A Downing Street source said: “Keir doesn’t realise this is existential for him. But it’s astonishing that MPs think that ousting him might be an answer – the public will just think we’re no different from the last lot.”
While some former Labour MPs have now set up Your Party, no current members have publicly challenged Sir Keir for leadership - or at least not yet.
But here are some of the names in the frame should opponents throw their hat into the ring.
Wes Streeting
According to reports, Downing Street was most concerned that the ambitious health secretary Mr Streeting was the one planning an imminent move.
He was one of a small group of cabinet members understood to have had a private chat with Sir Keir on Monday, but Mr Streeting has rubbished talks of a coup.
"I think this is daft. I think someone in Downing Street is watching too much Celebrity Traitors," he told LBC’s Nick Ferrari. "This is the most appalling attack on a faithful I have seen since Joe Marlar was banned in the final."
Andy Burnham
Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham was rumoured, around the time of the party conference, to be looking to challenge Sir Keir but this has not materialised.
He has said that MPs are privately urging him to challenge the prime minister and that he has a vision to turn around the country.
A problem, however, is that as he is not an MP - Mr Burnham would need to leave his mayor post and win a parliamentary seat if he was going to stand.
Shabana Mahmood
A fast riser within the party, Shabana Mahmood has recently been promoted to home secretary and her future could depend on how she handles the migrant crisis.
The 45-year-old is seen as being on the right of the party, which might count against her - especially with Sir Keir facing criticism for not being true to Labour’s values.
Angela Rayner
Having been ousted as deputy prime minister following her failure to pay enough stamp duty on her second home, the northerner is likely to return to the limelight at some point.
Ms Rayner has been hailed for her personal success story and there have been talks since September that Sir Keir is looking to bring her back in some capacity.
John Healy
John Healy is an outside bet, aged 65, but would offer a safe pair of hands.
The defence secretary could potentially appeal to both ends of the party and would be trusted to lead Labour forward, at least in the short term.