UK Politics A lengthy leadership contest looms

Research evidence excerpt

UK Politics A lengthy leadership contest looms

14 May 2026

UK Politics Economics

A lengthy leadership contest looms United Kingdom

◆ UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting has resigned and called for PM Keir Elizabeth Martins

Starmer to stand down, but has not triggered a formal leadership challenge SeniorHSBC BankEconomist,plc UK

liz.martins@hsbc.com

◆ The details of any potential leadership contest, including the possible +44 20 7991 2170

involvement of Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, remain uncertain ChrisSeniorHareEconomist, Eurozone,

UK and Ireland

◆ As well as broader instability, markets have concerns about a potential leftward HSBC Bank plc

chris.hare@hsbc.com

shift in fiscal policy +44 20 7991 2995

Facts

A challenge to Keir Starmer, but the process could be lengthy

After Labour suffered historic losses in last week’s local elections, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has

resigned. In his resignation letter addressed to PM Keir Starmer, Mr Streeting said that ‘it is now clear you

will not lead the Labour Party into the next general election’ and called for a debate ‘about what comes

next’. In other words, while effectively calling for a leadership election, Mr Streeting has not yet formally

triggered the process through the securing of nomination from 80 fellow Labour MPs.

With no formal contest yet announced, the next steps and timescales are uncertain. It is worth noting that

Mr Streeting said that any prospective leadership contest ‘needs to be broad, and it needs the best

possible field of candidates’. According the Sky News political editor Sam Coates, this ‘effectively invites a

timetable that would allow [Manchester Mayor] Andy Burnham to stand too’ (X, 14 May).

The potential inclusion of Mr Burnham matters because he is the most popular potential leadership