Who is Shabana Mahmood, frontrunner to become UK PM after Starmer?

As UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces intensifying pressure to step down, attention within the Labour Party has begun to shift towards potential successors. At the heart of growing speculation is Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, a senior cabinet minister whose profile has risen sharply amid turmoil at the top of government.

Starmer’s leadership has been destabilised by controversy surrounding his decision to appoint, and subsequently remove, former British envoy to the United States, Peter Mandelson, who was known to be a close associate of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The fallout deepened with the resignation of Starmer’s chief of staff and closest aide, Morgan McSweeney, who accepted responsibility for Mandelson’s appointment. Soon after, the Prime Minister’s communications chief Tim Allan also stepped down, compounding the sense of crisis within Downing Street.

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With dissent showing little signs of easing, Labour MPs and political observers have begun weighing alternatives should Starmer’s position weaken further. Mahmood’s name has emerged as one of the most credible and frequently-mentioned contenders.

Who is Shabana Mahmood?

The MP for Birmingham Ladywood since 2010, Mahmood is widely regarded as one of Labour’s most politically astute figures.

A trained barrister, she entered Parliament as one of the party’s first Muslim women MPs and moved quickly through the ranks, securing a place in the shadow cabinet early in her career. Over the years, she has held several senior frontbench roles, including shadow justice secretary and shadow education secretary, earning a reputation for discipline and competence.

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Following Labour’s return to power in 2024, Mahmood was appointed Justice Secretary, before becoming Home Secretary in a Cabinet reshuffle in 2025, taking charge of one of the most demanding portfolios in government.

Her responsibilities span policing, national security, immigration, and public order — areas that often shape public perceptions of leadership.

Working-class upbringing

Born in Birmingham to Pakistani immigrant parents, Mahmood has frequently spoken about her working-class upbringing, her British Muslim identity, and the transformative role of education in her life.

In recent years, however, she has also adopted a firmer stance on immigration. Just last week, she defended proposed changes to permanent settlement rules, describing settlement in the UK as “a privilege, not a right”, and argued that Britain should seek to attract the “brightest and best”.

Her firm stance on issues like law enforcement and immigration makes some Labour party leaders believe that it could help regain support among voters.

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If elevated to the top job, Mahmood would make history as the UK’s first Prime Minister of Pakistani origin and its first Muslim woman to hold the office. Under Labour’s rules, any leadership challenge would require the backing of at least 20 per cent of Labour MPs — an obstacle that, for now, remains hypothetical but increasingly discussed as political uncertainty deepens.