Express readers have had their say on who the worst person to replace Keir Starmer as Prime Minister would be – and it’s not Angela Rayner.
Keir Starmer’s future as Prime Minister has come under major scrutiny in recent weeks (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir Starmer’s grip on the Labour leadership has come under increasing strain amid the fallout from the Peter Mandelson vetting scandal — but who would his worst-case successor be? The Prime Minister‘s favourability ratings have dropped considerably since his election in 2024, with 69% of Britons holding a negative view of him as of April 2026, according to YouGov. Dwindling public support could see Labour take a beating at the upcoming May local elections, with recent polling putting the party in fourth place on just 16% of the vote, behind the Conservatives, Reform UK and the Greens.
Electoral losses coupled with cabinet divisions over Sir Keir’s handling of the Mandelson vetting process could set in motion a leadership challenge, with former Deputy PM Angela Rayner, her replacement David Lammy and ‘King of the North’ Andy Burnham said to be among the top contenders. According to Express readers, the prospect of any of the above figures moving into 10 Downing Street would be preferable to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, however, who they named the worst person to lead the country by a margin of over 1,000 votes.
Ed Miliband has been a vocal proponent of net zero since becoming Energy Secretary (Image: Getty)
Mr Miliband has been one of the most prominent public figures in Sir Keir’s Government since his party’s ascension to power, pushing forward with his ambitious clean energy plans, including the planned rollout of renewables and electrifying heating and transport to get homes and businesses off fuel fuels.
He has also been among the Labour figures distancing themselves from the Prime Minister’s decision to appoint Mandelson to the UK’s most important diplomatic post despite his links to Jeffrey Epstein, his lobbying work and his record of being sacked from Government twice.
Mr Miliband stopped short of saying Sir Keir should resign during an appearance on Sky News this week, but admitted he was “worried” about the Labour leader’s judgement and agreed that Mandelson “should never have been appointed”.
“I think Prime Ministers make errors,” he added. “Prime Ministers are fallible. Prime Ministers are human.”
Ed Miliband was named the worst potential successor by over 1,000 votes (Image: Daily Express)
The Government’s top net zero zealot received 3,926 votes from Express readers when they were asked who the worst person to replace Keir Starmer would be, followed by former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who stepped down after breaching the ministerial code over her tax affairs in September, with 2,655.
Sitting Deputy PM David Lammy came in third place, with 1,263 votes, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves trailing in fourth with 432.
Fewer readers objected to the prospect of Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham succeeding the Prime Minister, with just 194 votes, although he would need to secure a parliamentary seat before mounting a leadership challenge.
In sixth place was Health Secretary Wes Streeting, another potential challenger, with 160 votes, followed by Home Secretary turned Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, with 89.