As the Labour Party convenes its annual conference on the banks of the River Mersey in Liverpool, the mood inside Britain’s ruling party is anything but celebratory. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who swept to power in July 2024 with a landslide victory that ended fourteen years of Conservative rule, now finds himself facing the kind of internal dissent and public skepticism that few leaders expect so soon after such a decisive win. The gathering of thousands of Labour members this Sunday marks just over 15 months since Starmer took office, but already, some within his own ranks are questioning whether he can hold the party—and the country—together.
Starmer’s first year in office has been marked by a series of setbacks that have left many lawmakers anxious about Labour’s future. Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, described the party’s atmosphere as “febrile.” He told the Associated Press, “They’ve only been in government a year and they’ve got a big majority, but most voters seem to be quite disappointed and disillusioned with the government. And they also have a very low opinion of Keir Starmer.”
It’s not just grumbling on the backbenches. The specter of a leadership challenge is growing, with Andy Burnham, the ambitious mayor of Manchester and a former Labour lawmaker, emerging as a potential rival. Although Burnham is not currently a member of Parliament, his recent comments to the New Statesman magazine have fueled speculation. “Business as usual … ain’t gonna do it. The plan has to change quite radically,” Burnham said, adding, “It’s the plan that matters most, rather than me,” but acknowledging that some lawmakers have approached him about a possible leadership bid.
The party’s annual conference, which Starmer described as an opportunity to “make Labour’s case to the country,” comes at a moment when Labour is trailing the hard-right Reform UK party in recent opinion polls. According to the BBC, Starmer has directly criticized what he calls the “toxic divide and decline” of Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, who has become Labour’s chief opponent despite holding only five seats in the 650-seat House of Commons. “There’s a battle for the soul of this country now as to what sort of country we want to be,” Starmer said on Friday, September 26, 2025. He framed the political contest as one between “a politics of predatory grievance” that seeks to foster division and “patriotic renewal … underpinned by the values of dignity and respect, equality and fairness.”
Yet, for all his rhetoric, Starmer’s government has struggled to deliver on its promises. Inflation remains stubbornly high, and the economic outlook is subdued. The cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, frustrating efforts to repair public services that many voters see as tattered after years of austerity. Even a recent trade deal that eased import duties on some UK goods has failed to spark significant optimism. The looming autumn budget statement in November is expected to present grim choices: tax increases, spending cuts, or perhaps both.
Starmer himself acknowledged the challenges on Friday. “The government has to speed up and do better,” he admitted, setting the stage for what many expect will be a pivotal speech at the conference on Tuesday. His critics, both inside and outside the party, argue that his leadership has lacked vision and energy, with some likening his style to that of a cautious manager rather than a bold reformer.
In recent weeks, the sense of disarray has only grown. Angela Rayner, Starmer’s deputy prime minister, resigned after a tax error on a home purchase came to light. Meanwhile, Britain’s ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, was fired following revelations about his past friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Several other departures from Starmer’s backroom team have added to the impression of instability at the heart of government.
All the while, the political right has been gaining momentum. More than 30,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel in small boats from France so far this year, despite joint efforts by British, French, and other authorities to crack down on people-smuggling gangs. The issue of migration has become a flashpoint, fueling public debate and political division. Far-right activists have staged protests outside hotels housing asylum-seekers, and a march organized by anti-immigration campaigner Tommy Robinson drew over 100,000 people to London earlier this month.
Starmer has sought to walk a careful line, acknowledging voters’ concerns about migration while condemning the inflammatory rhetoric of figures like Robinson. He has also accused Farage of sowing division. “The defining political battle of our times is between a politics that seeks to foster division and one that aims for patriotic renewal,” Starmer insisted. But with Reform UK now leading Labour in some polls, the pressure is mounting for the prime minister to offer more than words.
The next general election isn’t due until 2029, but the stakes are high in the nearer term. If Labour performs poorly in local and regional elections scheduled for May 2026, calls for a change in leadership could become impossible to ignore. According to Tim Bale, the best strategy for the government right now is to “keep calm and carry on.” He suggested that “greater investment in public services, in particular the health service, will probably begin to show some fruit. The economy may turn around as the government’s policies have some effect. They may get the small boats problem under control over time. But it really is a case of just kind of waiting it out—and perhaps hoping that Nigel Farage and Reform’s bubble will burst.”
Andy Burnham’s emergence as a possible challenger has only intensified the sense of uncertainty. While he maintains that “it’s the plan that matters most, rather than me,” his call for “wholesale change” resonates with a party base that is increasingly restless. As Bale noted, “most voters seem to be quite disappointed and disillusioned with the government,” and Labour lawmakers are keenly aware that public patience is wearing thin.
For now, Starmer remains at the helm, determined to steady the ship and convince both his party and the public that he can deliver the “patriotic renewal” he promises. But with economic headwinds, internal strife, and a resurgent right-wing opposition all bearing down, the coming months will test his leadership as never before. The battle for Labour’s future—and perhaps Britain’s—has only just begun.
