Britain’s Observer newspaper has reported that Prime Minister Keir Starmer could announce his resignation this week, with a possible timetable for his departure already being discussed.
However, a government source dismissed the speculation, saying Starmer remains focused on his responsibilities and continuing to govern.
Pressure on Starmer’s leadership, which has been mounting for several months, intensified on Friday after his political rival Andy Burnham secured a parliamentary seat, giving him the platform to potentially launch a formal challenge for the Labour leadership.
According to The Observer, Starmer discussed his future with his wife at his Chequers country residence before reaching a final decision.
The newspaper added that senior Labour figures were expecting a clear statement about his plans as early as Monday.
A government source, however, insisted that Starmer remained committed to his role and referred to previous comments from the prime minister reaffirming his intention to continue leading the government.
Starmer said on Friday that he would resist any attempt to remove him from office and warned Labour members against damaging the party through internal conflicts.
The Labour leader guided the centre-left party to a decisive victory in the 2024 general election but has since faced declining popularity following a series of controversies and policy reversals. Critics argue these issues have weakened public confidence in his ability to deliver the economic improvements and higher living standards he promised voters.
Should Starmer resign or be removed, Britain would see its seventh prime minister take office in slightly more than a decade. The political turnover would mark the highest level of leadership change in almost 200 years, reflecting widespread frustration over successive governments’ struggles to improve public services and address challenges such as illegal immigration.
A Reuters tally showed that more than 100 Labour lawmakers — about one-quarter of the party’s representatives in the House of Commons — have publicly called for Starmer to step down or provide a clear timeline for his exit.
The Observer report, which did not identify its sources, claimed Starmer reached the view that his position had become difficult to sustain after discussions with cabinet ministers, advisers, donors and trade union leaders.
Burnham, a 56-year-old veteran politician, is widely regarded within Labour as the leading potential replacement for Starmer, either through a negotiated transition or a formal leadership contest.
After establishing influence within Labour through his role as mayor of Greater Manchester in northern England, Burnham defeated a challenge from Nigel Farage’s right-wing populist party to win a vacant parliamentary seat on Friday.
Although Burnham did not immediately launch a leadership challenge, he used his victory speech to call for a new direction for the country. Supporters close to him have encouraged Starmer to voluntarily step aside and transfer power.
Former Health Minister Wes Streeting has also indicated that he is prepared to challenge Starmer’s leadership.
Meanwhile, The Times reported on Saturday that Burnham would remove Finance Minister Rachel Reeves from government if he became prime minister, after advisers allegedly concluded she did not represent a significant enough shift in policy direction. Reuters said it was unable to independently verify the report.
