New poll reveals nearly half of Labour supporters want Starmer to step down after crushing election setbacks across Britain
LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing deepening unrest within the Labour Party after a new poll revealed that most Labour members no longer believe he can revive the party’s political fortunes.
The survey, conducted by the thinktank Compass before Britain’s recent elections, found that 51% of Labour members do not think Starmer can recover the party’s standing or defeat Reform UK at the next general election.
Even more striking, 45% of members said Starmer should step down as party leader following Labour’s disappointing election performance across England, Scotland and Wales.
Andy Burnham emerges as favourite replacement
The poll also showed that Andy Burnham has emerged as the clear favorite among Labour members to replace Starmer.
Burnham, currently serving as Mayor of Greater Manchester, was the preferred choice of 42% of party members surveyed when asked to rank potential successors.
The findings revealed Burnham enjoys a net favorability rating of 72% among Labour members, making him the strongest contender if a leadership contest were to take place.
Several Labour MPs — particularly those close to Burnham — have reportedly urged the party leadership to establish a timetable for Starmer’s orderly departure and create a path for Burnham to return to Parliament.
However, Burnham currently faces obstacles because Labour’s National Executive Committee previously blocked his attempt to contest a parliamentary by-election.
Labour suffers election setbacks nationwide
The internal crisis follows Labour’s damaging election losses across Britain.
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK made major gains in England, winning hundreds of council seats and tightening pressure on Labour’s traditional voter base.
In Scotland, the Scottish National Party secured a historic fifth consecutive victory, while in Wales, Plaid Cymru ended more than a century of Labour dominance by unseating Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan.
Meanwhile, the Green Party of England and Wales also gained ground in London, signaling growing dissatisfaction among progressive voters.
Growing rebellion inside Labour
The latest poll reflects a dramatic shift in party sentiment.
Back in October, only 28% of Labour members believed Starmer should resign after poor election results. That figure has now risen sharply to 45%.
More than one-third of members surveyed also said they were considering canceling their Labour Party membership altogether.
Compass deputy director Lena Swedlow said voters and party members had both now expressed serious doubts about Starmer’s leadership.
“There is a clear desire for change in both the politics and personnel of this government,” she said.
Several Labour MPs, including former transport secretary Louise Haigh and MPs Sarah Owen, Jonathan Brash, Simon Opher and Connor Naismith, are reportedly among those pushing for a formal transition plan.
Starmer’s leadership under intense pressure
The growing rebellion comes as Starmer struggles to contain mounting criticism over Labour’s inability to deliver rapid economic recovery, improve public services and respond effectively to voter frustration.
Political analysts say the latest findings highlight a serious credibility crisis inside Labour and raise major questions about whether Starmer will remain leader long enough to contest the next UK general election.
With Reform UK surging, nationalist parties strengthening in Scotland and Wales, and progressive voters drifting toward the Greens, Britain’s political landscape appears increasingly fragmented — and Labour’s internal divisions are now becoming impossible to ignore.
