Although Andy Burnham has effectively fired the starting gun for the Labour leadership race, this will be far from a coronation.
It is also unlikely to a one-horse race.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has been accused of running a ‘shadow campaign’ for months now – with Westminster insiders believe he has had a leadership operation ‘ready to go’ since late last year.
It was allegedly the discovery of this shadow campaign which triggered botched briefing from Number 10 in November outing Mr Streeting as a traitor.
It’s no surprise that he would like to be PM as when asked in a 2018 video who would be doing the job in 10 years’ time, he joked: ‘I think that will probably be me’.
But rather than unmasking him in the style of hit series ‘The Traitors’, last year’s bungled briefing served only to intensify the speculation about a future Streeting premiership.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is another Cabinet Minister tipped for Downing Street.
She has impressed Labour MPs and the country since she arrived burst into the Home Office as a ‘no nonsense’ occupier of that great office of state.
Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester speaking at a meeting during the Labour Party’s annual conference on September 28, 2025
The move would be his first step in challenging Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership (pictured on January 23)
While some candidates lie in wait, like Streeting, she has made no secret of her ambitions.
Ms Mahmood has said: ‘You should not believe anyone in politics who says they are not ambitious about the top job, because they are basically lying to you’ — before denying she was plotting to topple the Prime Minister.
However, more recently, there are suggestions that Ms Mahmood will row in before Mr Streeting’s own bid.
In that respect, she is also the current chairman of the party’s ruling NEC which may stop Mr Burnham from standing as an MP.
And that, according to one Labour MP would appeal to Mr Streeting no end.
The MP told the MoS ‘The candidate Wes doesn’t want to face is Andy.’