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Keir Starmer has suffered a humiliating blow as the question of who could potentially replace him was discussed on TalkTV. Former Labour MP Karl Turner joined Jeremy Kyle on the programme as the prime minister faces a vote by MPs on whether the Privileges Committee should consider if he misled the Commons over the vetting of Peter Mandelson. It transpired that Mandelson was appointed the UK's ambassador to the US, despite failing the vetting process.

Starmer said he was "furious" to have been kept in the dark about this, but insisted the security vetting had followed full "due process". He has faced repeated calls to resign over the most recent scandal, and attention has now turned to who could replace him. Turner, who was suspended from the Labour Party last month because of his conduct, believes the majority of people want to see Andy Burnham take over from Starmer.

He said: "The biggest number of people fancy Andy Burnham as the leader of the Labour Party, that is just a fact. He's not in parliament. How's he going to get in parliament? Keir Starmer's not going to let him in, not a chance!"

Weighing up the viable options, Turner admitted he would take Angela Rayner over Starmer "everyday of the week".

"I'd have Angela Rayner everyday of the week and twice on a Sunday. Why? Because she's normal and down-to-earth."

It comes after the former deputy prime minister reportedly told her allies that they must move on the prime minister and oust him from office.

Rayner, who resigned from her position in September 2025 after failing to pay enough tax on her flat in Hove, is believed to have told her supporters that it was "now or never" to kick her boss out of Downing Street.

Earlier today (April 28), Sir Philip Barton, the former head of the foreign office, claimed the prime minister failed to follow the usual procedures in appointing Mandelson.

He said: "The normal order is vetting then announcement. The timing of the announcement was driven and decided by No10."

He was told that Starmer had been made aware of the risk of appointing Mandelson, and had "accepted those risks and decided to proceed".

Addressing Labour MPs last night, Starmer said: "This is a political stunt by our opponents who want to bring us down, obscure our message, stop us getting on with our work. And the timing tells you everything, nine days before local elections."