A change of Labour leader is the wrong answer – the party’s troubles go much deeper

Keir Starmer is beset by speculation that he will face a leadership challenge if Labour loses the Batley and Spen by-election, writes John Rentoul

Keir Starmer, left, with Andy Burnham, centre, and Angela Rayner on the campaign trail in April (Getty)

Keir Starmer’s people have ingeniously briefed that they thought Labour might just win the Batley and Spen by-election. It raised Labour morale, possibly encouraging supporters to turn out to vote in the constituency, but above all it meant that journalists spent some time debating whether it could possibly be true or not.

Every minute that journalists spent engaging in pointless speculation about whether Labour really could hold the seat was a minute in which they were not engaging in pointless speculation about a challenge to Starmer’s leadership.

But it remains the case that for the official opposition to prevent the government gaining a second seat in this parliament would be a sensational by-election upset to rank with Orpington, Hamilton, Bermondsey and Bradford West – which tells us a lot about the current state of politics.