How Labour's leadership crisis impacts Law Firms

A Labour administration elected just eighteen months ago on a promise of stability is now consumed by a leadership crisis.

This story is dominating law firms and client's board rooms right now.

You need to know it impacts both to impress in your applications and interviews. That's what we're here for!

What's happening?

Labour suffered heavy losses in the recent local and devolved elections. Now people and MPs are asking if Starmer is the right man for the job.

Can they replace him? Under Labour Party rules, a leadership contest can be triggered if 20% of Labour MPs nominate a challenger or if the leader resigns. But Starmer is refusing to step aside.

Whoever wins the party leadership automatically becomes Prime Minister, because the PM is whoever can command a majority in the Commons.

Who could replace Starmer?

• Wes Streeting, the now-former health secretary, resigned from cabinet but stopped short of launching a formal leadership bid. He has since publicly backed Burnham's by-election campaign, though not (yet) Burnham as a potential PM.
• Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, is standing in the Makerfield by-election - a Wigan constituency where the sitting Labour MP, Josh Simons, stood down to clear the path. Burnham needs a Commons seat to mount a leadership bid (a by-election being a one-off vote to fill a single vacant seat), and even that is not a given: Reform UK crushed Labour in the area at the local elections.

All of the above is great drama, but terrible for a government that promised stability now looking anything but.

How does this impact Law Firms?