British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing one of the most serious challenges of his tenure following revelations of former British ambassador Peter Mandelson’s links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The fallout left Starmer’s leadership under intense scrutiny, with calls from within his own Labor Party for him to step down.
Amid the political turmoil, attention is turning to potential successors – particularly Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, a rising star in Labor who could become the UK’s first female Muslim prime minister if she succeeds.
Starmer under pressure
Elected in a landslide in July 2024, Starmer appointed Mandelson as ambassador to the United States despite his links to Epstein. Newly released emails suggest Mandelson passed sensitive government information to Epstein, fueling anger across the party and the public. Starmer has apologized for being misled, but is facing mounting calls for him to step down.
Labor Party rules require leadership challengers to secure 20% of MP nominations – 81 peers – making immediate ousting difficult. Meanwhile, upcoming local elections and a special parliamentary contest in Gorton and Denton are expected to affect the timing of any leadership challenge.
Who is Shabana Mahmood, the potential successor
Shabana Mahmood, 45, has served as home secretary since 2025 and before that as justice minister and lord chancellor, introducing high-profile policies on prison reform, immigration and policing. A trained barrister, Mahmood represents Birmingham Ladywood in Parliament and belongs to the socially conservative Blue Labor faction.
Early life and career: Born in Birmingham to Pakistani parents, Mahmood spent part of her childhood in Saudi Arabia before returning to the UK. She studied law at Lincoln College, Oxford and became a barrister specializing in professional liability law before entering politics.
Political career: Mahmood was first elected to Parliament in 2010, becoming one of the UK’s first female Muslim MPs. She has held various Shadow Cabinet positions, including Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury and National Campaign Co-ordinator.
Government leadership roles: Appointed Lord Chancellor and Minister for Justice in 2024, Mahmood introduced early release programs to relieve overcrowding and lead responses to civil unrest. As Home Secretary from 2025, she took a tough line on immigration, introduced landmark refugee reforms and spearheaded the UK’s biggest policing rollout of live facial recognition technology.
