Labour’s third place in the Gorton and Denton byelection behind the victorious Green Party and Reform has raised further questions about Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.
It comes just a couple of weeks after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar piled pressure on Sir Keir Starmer by calling for him to step down.
And it was just the latest bad news story for the Prime Minister a mere 18 months after a spectacular election landslide triumph.
The intervening period has seen a succession of problematic stories for the Premier, along with cabinet scandals and embarrassing u-turns - including on an income tax rise at the last budget.
And the worst was yet to come - courtesy of the scandal linking former British Ambassador to the United States Lord Mandelson to financier sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Mandelson has since been arrested by police.
More poor performances for Labour at May’s Scottish Holyrood Election and English local elections could see any remaining support for the beleagured PM vanish.
There is now growing speculation over who will succeed him when he eventually stands aside - or is forcibly removed - from office.
Here are the 13 most likely candidates - according to the bookies.
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1. Angela Rayner - 5/2
Angela Rayner, the former Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, lost her place in cabinet after she breached the ministerial code by underpaying stamp duty on a property in Hove. The bookies don't think her political career is finished yet though - she's the clear 5/2 favourite to take over as Labour leader. | AFP via Getty Images
2. Wes Streeting - 5/1
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has previously insisted he is "not challenging the Prime Minister", despite a briefing war where some close to Keir Starmer said he was after the top job. He's failed to rule out any future challenge though, and seems to harbour ambitions of leading the country. He's the 5/1 second favourite to take over from Sir Keir. | Getty Images
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3. Ed Miliband - 11/2
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Ed Miliband unexpectedly lost the 2015 General Election to David Cameron by 10 seats, effectively beginning the process of Brexit. It would be one of the more remarkable political comebacks if he was able to give becoming PM another shot. The bookies reckon he has an 11/2 chance of being next Labour leader - rising from fifth favourite to third favourite in the last week. | Getty Images
4. Shabana Mahmood - 8/1
Current Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has impressed since taking on her role last September. She's 8/1 to become Labour Leader. | Getty Images