How Would a Labour Leadership Contest Work? The recent local elections in the UK have left Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer fighting for his position.
While the headlines focus on the numbers – almost 1,500 councillors lost and a century old dominance in Wales broken – there is more at play here than just electoral arithmetic.
Labour's leadership contest rules create an artificial barrier that can stymie even ambitious contenders. To trigger a contest, 20% of MPs (81 backers) must support a challenger candidate.