What Will Keir Starmer Do Next?
Simon Whistler • September 4, 2026
Members only
Note: this transcript was generated by AI and may contain errors or inconsistencies.
When Josh Simons resigned as the MP for Makefield on the 14th of May this year, he did two things. First, he triggered a by-election for his seat and gave Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham a path back to Parliament, where he would make a charge on the office of Prime Minister on the basis that he was among the only well-liked politicians in the UK.
Second, the Simons resignation started a countdown on Sir Keir Starmer's time as Prime Minister, because if Andy Burnham could make it to Parliament, then the embattled Starmer would have to be forced out, both as Labour Party leader and as Prime Minister of the UK.
You'll notice that we're saying if and not when, because it wasn't a guarantee that Burnham would win. While Burnham was extremely popular for a British politician because of his time as the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Reform UK were on a tear, winning seats even in areas that had traditionally been Labour strongholds.
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About this briefing
Two years into power, Labour trails Reform and the prime minister's authority is leaking away. We weigh the options left to him — reshuffle, reset, or managed retreat — and why none looks easy.