Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has privately urged Sir Keir Starmer to consider setting out a timeline for his departure following expected heavy local election losses.
The Times reports that Miliband raised the prospect during a private meeting with the Prime Minister around a fortnight ago. The report says the former Labour leader is concerned the party could descend into a “bitter and damaging leadership contest” if Starmer is forced out after the elections.
The discussions come as early local election results point to major losses for Labour, with the party losing control of councils in areas previously considered strongholds, including Tameside and Redditch. Nigel Farage hailed a “historic change in British politics” as Reform UK surged past 160 seats nationwide.
Labour is expected to suffer significant losses across England, Scotland and Wales, with some MPs already openly questioning Starmer’s future as party leader. The Times reports Labour could also finish third in both Scotland and Wales, where it has historically been dominant.
Potential successors already being discussed within Westminster include Angela Rayner, Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham.
The Times reports Miliband is viewed by allies as a potential “kingmaker” in any future leadership contest, with Burnham emerging as the preferred candidate among some Labour figures on the soft left.
The newspaper also reports that ministers and MPs backing Burnham fear competing leadership bids from Rayner and Streeting could trigger a damaging internal conflict within the party.
A spokesman for Miliband declined to comment on “private conversations” but told The Times: “We do not accept this account.”