Sir Keir Starmer's days as prime minister are numbered as Labour colleague and rival Andy Burnham returns to Parliament after winning a by-election in Makerfield.
Burnham's victory means Starmer will soon face a formal challenge to his leadership, which he is likely to lose.
The by-election was a rare win for Labour, which has slumped in the polls and took a battering in local elections last month.
Labour's victory might seem like cheering news for Starmer, but it is not, as it could trigger a leadership election that he is likely to lose.
Burnham has the advantage of starting as Labour's most popular politician among both party members and Britons at large.
However, two previous leadership bids were flops, and he has sometimes struggled in the spotlight of national politics.
Unless both Starmer and Wes Streeting back down, Britain's government faces weeks of uncertainty that may not be resolved before Labour's annual conference in September.
