Energy Security and Carbon Neutrality Minister Edward Miliband and former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Raynor may join the race for the post of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Daily Mail Reported.
According to the newspaper, if Health Minister Wes Streeting leaves the government and tries to oust Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Miliband and Raynor may join the battle for the post of Prime Minister. Earlier, “The Times“ reported that Streeting has decided to resign from the government and begin the process of replacing the leader of the ruling Labour Party Starmer. He is expected to make the announcement on 14 May.
A political crisis has erupted in the United Kingdom following the local government elections held on 7 May. The Labour Party lost control of the Welsh Parliament for the first time. It won 1,400 fewer seats in various legislative bodies in England than before. Starmer has accepted responsibility for the election defeat but has refused to resign as leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister.
Around 90 Labour MPs in the House of Commons (the lower house of parliament) have called on Starmer to resign. Unhappy with the Prime Minister, Labour MPs believe that Starmer's continued tenure in Downing Street will worsen the party's position in the next general election, scheduled for no later than August 2029. On 12 May, four deputy ministers resigned in protest against Starmer. Several aides have also resigned.
However, Starmer, who led the Labour Party to victory in the 2024 general election, remains in office as the formal process for a new Labour leader has not yet begun. To do this, at least one Labour MP in the House of Commons, with the support of 20% of the group's members (81 MPs), must submit a written statement to the party's secretary general. Party members then vote for their preferred candidate. If a new leader of the ruling party is elected, that person will automatically become head of government, without the need for a general election.
At the same time, Starmer's fate is not a foregone conclusion, given that he still enjoys the support of a significant number of lawmakers. On May 12, more than 100 Labour MPs signed a declaration in support of the prime minister. They believe that a “civil war“ in the party will undermine public confidence in the Labour government. The Labour Party group in the 650-seat House of Commons consists of 403 members.