A contest between Starmer and either Miliband or Streeting would be much closer, however.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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The climate secretary would win by 44% to 40%, the poll suggested, while the health secretary would beat him by 33% 31%, albeit with 36% of members undecided over which way they would jump.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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However, Starmer would beat education secretary Bridget Phillipson, deputy Labour leader Lucy Powell and home secretary Shabana Mahmood in any hypothetical contest, according to the poll.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Emma Burnell, editor of LabourList, said the poll showed the party\u2019s members were \u201copenly questioning\u201d Starmer\u2019s leadership.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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She said: \u201cStarmer\u2019s team have made it clear that he would contest a leadership contest were one to arise. Of course, that was a week ago and we all know that\u2019s a long time in politics.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cIt may well be that if it came to it, Starmer would decide a contest in which he ran – and was possibly defeated – was too damaging to the party in the long term.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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She added: \u201cAt the moment this is all speculation, but it is speculation the leadership have invited with their own briefings about Streeting.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cThis conversation has gone from mildly discontented whispers to very real speculation as a result.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cThis is the first polling of the Labour membership on this question since it burst into the open. It is clear that they are now openly questioning if Starmer is still the right person to lead the party. \u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n