Starmer begs for his political future: PM warns Labour rivals towards ‘political infighting’ with Burnham, Rayner and Streeting able to pounce

Keir Starmer has warned Labour not to ‘descending into political infighting’ in a desperate bid to shore up power as he enters what could be a make-or-break week for his premiership.

The Prime Minister called for a ‘united’ party amid reports that he could face a challenge for his job from three senior party figures in the wake of disastrous local and devolved elections.

Two former ministers, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and ex-deputy PM Angela Rayner are believed to be preparing to try to replace him, as is serving Health Secretary Wes Streeting. 

Setting out his his case in The Observer, Sir Keir warned his party not to recreate the chaos of the previous Tory administration, which went through four prime ministers in five years, adding: ‘Not this time.’

‘We have a choice. We could sink into the politics of grievance and division. Or we could rise to this moment – together – in a national effort that matches the scale of the threats and turbulence we face,’ he wrote.

This morning Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said those thinking of trying to oust Sir Keir should ‘give their heads a gentle wobble’.

But at the same time it was reported that Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) will now allow Mr Burnham to contest a Westminster seat, paving his way for a return to national politics with an eye for challenging for the leadership. 

The NEC, as Starmer’s instigation, barred Mr Burnham from standing in Gorton and Denton earlier this year, ostensibly because it would also mean a costly mayoral election. 

His supporters are attempting to avoid a formal leadership challenge against the Prime Minister, and hope to kickstart a process for him to stand down after what are expected to be disastrous results for Labour on May 7.

Up to seven Cabinet ministers will unite to pressure Sir Keir Starmer into quitting if this week’s local election results are as dire as expected for Labour.

The high-ranking figures will try to persuade the beleaguered Prime Minister that it would be in the party’s best interests if he agreed a timetable for his departure from Downing Street, senior government sources have told The Mail on Sunday.

But in a sign of how fractious the situation could become, allies of the PM told the Sun he would not quit, adding: ‘ He will stay and fight a leadership contest if he has to.’

Labour has been predicted to lose more than 1,500 seats in Thursday’s elections, including huge swathes of its former heartlands in the North and London. 

Mr Burnham has been linked with tilts at several seats where MPs are prepared to step aside, triggering a by-election which could pave the way for his return to Parliament.

Reports today claimed that the NEC’s 10-strogn officers committee, which helped the PM block him in Gorton and Denton, are not willing to do so again.

However if Sir Keir is ousted quickly he may simply not have eough time ot find a seat that would allow him to run. 

Mr Streeting has already gained the support of more than 81 MPs for his leadership challenge, the number is the minimum required for a leadership challenge to take place.

In a BBC interview yesterday, Sir Keir made clear he intended to remain in No 10 until the next general election – declaring he was elected for ‘a five-year term that I won with a landslide victory, and I’ll be judged at the end of that period, at the next election’. 

A senior Labour MP also insisted that, if challenged, Sir Keir would beat Ms Rayner, Mr Streeting ‘and even Andy Burnham‘ if it went to a poll of all Labour members.

However, another MP said the PM was ‘really quite deluded’ if he believed he could cling on in the wake of this week’s expected local election bloodbath and the Peter Mandelson affair.

This newspaper has been told that under the plan being prepared, Sir Keir would be forced to agree that he should make way for a new leader after a suitable period described by one Labour source as ‘a calm, elegant and considered process’.

Another party insider said: ‘The view is there is no way for this to end now unless Keir sets out a clear timetable.

‘Ideally, he will do it himself. But if he doesn’t, members of the Cabinet will go to him after the results are in and tell him he has to announce a clear schedule for his departure.’

A ministerial source said: ‘It’s about finding a way out that lets Keir go with some dignity. There won’t be any public calls initially.

‘But a significant number of Cabinet ministers have agreed that if the results are what we expect, he has to set out the timetable.’