Who will replace Keir Starmer as Labour leader?

Keir Starmer resigned as Labour leader on 22 June 2026. Andy Burnham, who returned to Parliament by winning the Makerfield by-election on 18 June, declared his candidacy the same day. When PLP nominations opened on 9 July he was nominated by 322 Labour MPs on the first day - about 80% of the 403-strong Parliamentary Labour Party, against a threshold of 81. His most likely rivals and much of the cabinet - including Wes Streeting, Rachel Reeves, Yvette Cooper, David Lammy and Darren Jones - have endorsed him, and no candidate has declared against him, so he is on course to be confirmed unopposed at a special conference on 17 July. PLP nominations run from 9 to 15 July 2026.

How does Labour elect a new leader?

To reach the ballot a candidate must be nominated by 20% of Labour MPs - 81 of the 403-strong Parliamentary Labour Party - and then by either 5% of constituency Labour parties or three affiliates (at least two of them trade unions) making up 5% of affiliated membership. The contest is then decided by one member, one vote under the Alternative Vote system.

Who votes in the Labour leadership election?

Full party members and affiliated supporters vote, each with one vote. The registered supporters scheme, which previously let people pay a one-off fee to vote, was abolished in 2021. The freeze date is 25 June 2026, so members who joined on or before 25 December 2025 (six months' continuous membership) are eligible.

Could Andy Burnham become leader unopposed?

Yes, and it is on track. Every figure floated as a possible rival has endorsed Burnham or ruled out standing - the last, Al Carns, on 7 July - so he is the only candidate. If no rival is validly nominated by the PLP close on 15 July, a special conference on 17 July confirms him as leader unopposed, without a members' ballot, as Gordon Brown was in 2007.

Labour Leadership Election 2026: Live Tracker

Q: When will the UK have a new Prime Minister?

Keir Starmer stays on as caretaker Prime Minister until the handover. With Burnham unopposed, he is expected to be confirmed as Labour leader at a special conference on 17 July 2026; by convention a new leader does not become Prime Minister the same day, so Starmer remains PM until the handover, expected on 20 July. Only if a rival were nominated would it instead go to a members' ballot from 6 to 27 August, with the result on 29 August.

The contest timetable

The schedule set by Labour's National Executive Committee. If only one candidate is validly nominated, a special conference on 17 July can confirm them unopposed; if the race is contested, members and affiliated supporters vote through August.

The nomination maths

To reach the ballot, a candidate must be nominated by 20% of Labour MPs - 81 of the 403-strong PLP - and then by 5% of constituency parties or three affiliates. The bars below are a historical snapshot of where MPs stood before Starmer resigned, which is what forced the contest.

Candidates

Who is running, who is being talked about, and the outgoing leader. "Running" means actively standing; "would stand" means a public statement of intent; "speculated" means named in reporting without a declaration.

Timeline

How Labour elects a new leader

MP nominations

A candidate must be nominated by at least 20% of the PLP - 81 MPs - to be validly nominated. MPs may nominate themselves or one other. The threshold was raised from 10% to 20% at the 2021 party conference, so it is now the same for a vacancy as for challenging a sitting leader.

Affiliate and CLP nominations

Candidates who clear the PLP threshold also need nominations from at least three affiliates (at least two of them trade unions), or, failing that, from 5% of constituency Labour parties.

What if only one candidate qualifies?

If a single candidate is validly nominated, a leadership special conference on 17 July can confirm them as leader unopposed, with no members' ballot. By convention a new leader does not become Prime Minister on the same day, so the handover to No 10 follows a few days later - here, expected on 20 July. Gordon Brown became leader this way in 2007, taking over as PM three days after being confirmed.

Who votes, and how?

A contested election is decided by one member, one vote under a single-round preferential (Alternative Vote) system: if no candidate clears 50% on first preferences, the lowest is eliminated and votes redistributed until one passes 50%. The electorate is full members and affiliated supporters; the registered supporters scheme, which let people pay a fee to vote, was abolished in 2021. Voting is electronic, with postal ballots for those without email.

Who is eligible to vote?

Members with six months' continuous membership before the timetable was announced can vote. The freeze date is 25 June 2026, so members who joined on or before 25 December 2025 qualify. Affiliated supporters qualify under separate criteria.

Labour Leadership Election 2026

The contest timetable

The nomination maths

Candidates

Timeline

How Labour elects a new leader

Sources