Where are the Labour women?

Sir Keir Starmer’s time is up. Standing on the steps of Downing Street on Monday June 22nd, an emotional Prime Minister knew the game was over & conceded defeat. The scene, reminiscent of Theresa May’s resignation in 2019, is one we’ve become painfully used to in the past decade: Rishi Sunak in 2024; Liz Truss and Boris Johnson in 2022; Theresa May in 2019; and David Cameron in 2016. And now, Keir Starmer in 2026. And with it, a new race for Number 10 ensues as Labour begins their leadership process.

But it seems Labour, considering the likely candidates, are set for a similar result as always – a straight, white man emerges as the leader of the Labour Party, a result that has been seen only…every single time it’s happened since the emergence of the party.

The Labour Party has always been led by men. Despite short temporary leadership from former MP (now Baroness) Harriet Harman to allow for leadership elections, Labour has never had a female leader on a permanent basis, and 2026 is set to be no different.

Early rumours of an Angela Rayner candidacy seem to have subsided. Catherine West’s “Challenge Starmer by Monday or I will” now a distant memory. Top women in Starmer’s team – Rachel Reeves, Bridget Phillipson, Lisa Nandy, Yvette Cooper, Shabana Mahmood – having been briefed throughout Starmer’s premiership, now not even being considered. And Andy Burnham, all but crowned now that Wes Streeting has come in behind him.

Labour has never had a female leader, and frankly, they’re far behind the curve against their competitors. The Conservative Party, now led by Kemi Badenoch, the first black leader of a British political party, is their party’s fourth female leader, with all three of those who came before being Britain’s first three female Prime Ministers. The Liberal Democrats were led by Jo Swinson, albeit briefly, in 2019; The Green Party of England and Wales was led by women continuously from 2008 to 2025; The Scottish National Party gave Scotland its first female First Minister with their leader, Nicola Sturgeon, leading for a decade; Plaid Cymru was led by Leanne Wood for six years. Even devolved Labour has had female leaders – Eluned Morgan, the recently-ousted First Minister of Wales, and Scottish Labour had Johann Lamont and Kezia Dugdale – but never at the party’s very top job.

No matter your politics, no matter your thoughts on Starmer or Burnham, the fact that one of the largest parties is set to elect yet another male leader, continuing its 126-year trend, even with 186 eligible female MPs on its benches, is disheartening once again. And it means that key perspectives are not permeating into the core of our public life. What does it say when one of the country’s major political institutions still can’t give itself a female leader?

Female Labour MPs have referred to Number 10 as “a boys club”. And as we look set for Labour’s 20th male leader, it doesn’t look like that’s set to change anytime soon.

Written by, Sophie Layton (she/her)