It has been a week since Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar piled pressure on Sir Keir Starmer by calling for him to step down.
It’s was 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 bad news 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.
Following Sarwar’s intervention, the Prime Minister appears to have shored up support, with his cabinet offering unanimous support.
But with the crucial Gorton and Denton byelection on Thursday, February 26, followed by the Scottish Holyrood Election and English local elections in May, a series of poor performances at the polls by Labour could see that support 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 12 most likely candidates - according to the bookies.
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9. John Healey - 22/1
Another Labour stalwart, John Healey has been an MP since 1997 and held various junior ministerial positions under Tony Blair and Gorden Brown. He is currently Secretary of State for Defence and a 22/1 shot to take over from Keir Starmer. | AFP via Getty Images

10. Sadiq Khan - 33/1
Sadiq Khan has won three consecutive elections for London's Mayor - making him one of the most powerful politicial figures in the country. Boris Johnson went from being the Mayor of London to leading his party and his country. The bookies reckon there's the 33/1 chance Khan will follow his career trajectory. | Getty Images
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11. Darren Jones - 33/1
Former Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones took over as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations in the last cabinet reshuffle in September 2025. The former lawyer is an 33/1 shot to be the next person to lead his party. | Getty Images

12. Bridget Phillipson - 40/1
Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities Bridget Phillipson has been the MP for Houghton and Sunderland South since 2010. She's another politician priced at 40/1 to become Labour leader after Keir Starmer. | Getty Images

