UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under increasing pressure to step down amid controversy over his appointment, and subsequent removal, of former British ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson, who was a close associate of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The leadership crisis has intensified with the resignation of Starmer’s chief of staff and closest aide, Morgan McSweeney, who stepped down due to his involvement in Mandelson’s appointment. The situation worsened when the Prime Minister’s communications director, Tim Allan, also resigned shortly afterward.
With internal dissent continuing to grow, speculation has turned to potential successors should Starmer’s position weaken further. One name increasingly mentioned is Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
Who is Shabana Mahmood?
Mahmood has been the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood since 2010 and is considered one of Labour’s most capable and politically skilled leaders. A qualified barrister, she entered Parliament as one of Labour’s first Muslim women MPs and quickly rose through the party ranks, securing a position in the shadow cabinet early in her career.
She has held several senior frontbench roles, including shadow justice secretary and shadow education secretary, and is known for her steady and disciplined approach.
In 2025, Mahmood was appointed Home Secretary following Labour’s return to power. She now oversees one of the most challenging government portfolios, covering policing, national security, immigration, and public order.
Born in Birmingham to Pakistani immigrant parents, Mahmood often speaks about her British Muslim identity, working-class upbringing, and the role of education in shaping her political journey.
In recent years, she has taken a noticeably tougher stance on immigration. Last week, she defended Labour’s proposed changes to permanent settlement rights, describing them as “fair” amid widespread opposition.
Speaking before the Home Affairs Committee, Mahmood said settlement in the UK is a “privilege, not a right,” and argued it would be “odd” for Britain not to seek to attract the “brightest and best” to work in the country.
