Former Labour frontbencher Richard Burgon, a prominent left‑wing voice, said it was inevitable Keir Starmer would be ousted if May 2026 elections in Scotland, Wales and large parts of England perform badly. He warned that if results align with the polls, the Prime Minister could lose his job. The remarks come as Labour trails Reform UK in national surveys and amid the fallout from the sacking of Lord Mandelson, ongoing discontent within the party, and the prospect of a state visit by US President Donald Trump.

Dulwich and West Norwood MP Helen Hayes said leadership questions would arise if Labour fares badly in 2026. She said that if the elections do not go well, questions about the party’s leadership would need addressing. Skills minister Baroness Jacqui Smith defended Starmer, noting Burgon had previously opposed the government and briefly lost the whip.

There has been speculative talk in Labour circles that Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham could seek a Westminster seat to position himself as a potential leadership challenger, though an ally dismissed the rumours as pure speculation with no substance. On Mandelson, Smith said the government learned of emails between Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein on Tuesday before Starmer publicly defended Mandelson. Mandelson was dismissed on Thursday after the contents were reviewed. The Conservatives have written to Starmer demanding the sequence of events and the vetting and correspondence with the Downing Street operation; Tory leader Kemi Badenoch urged him to publish the Mandelson/Epstein files and explain what he and his chief of staff knew and when.