Mark White has delivered a stark warning for Labour, suggesting the party risks a “slow, lingering death” if it fails to move beyond its current troubles.

The GB News Home and Security Editor said that in politics, once an administration becomes “engulfed in crisis”, it is “incredibly difficult to move beyond that”.

The Prime Minister has faced questions about his leadership for months, following numerous U-turns and a drop in his government’s popularity.

Those questions intensified following the release of emails from Jeffrey Epstein, which revealed the extent of the relationship between the convicted sex offender and Peter Mandelson, the prime minister’s pick to be his ambassador in the US.

Mark said: “In politics, when an administration becomes engulfed in crisis, it’s incredibly difficult to move beyond that. Most never seem to manage it. At some point, there’s just a slow, lingering death.”

Theo Usherwood added: “Up until now, the complaint from those working on the political side of Government has been that the civil service machine hasn’t been able to move at pace that Whitehall hasn’t done what was needed to push policy through the early stages of the legislature.

“But what you’re now going to see and we’ve already had a glimpse of it during last summer’s welfare debate, is just how difficult it will be for the Government to get anything through the House of Commons that risks annoying its own backbenchers.

“That leaves real danger for Keir Starmer. It creates a feeling among voters of: what’s the point?

“Are you just going to be there, unable to deliver on what you promised at the general election?

“They made reducing the number of people coming to this country, stopping the small boats, a key plank of their policy agenda.

“They have to deliver on that, especially as Reform continues to poll strongly. Support has levelled off slightly in recent months at around 27 to 28 per cent, but it remains significant.

“If Keir Starmer wants to get Labour back on the front foot, he has to deliver. And if he can’t get this measure through, what else will he struggle to do?”

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A leading trade union figure has urged Labour to install Angela Rayner as leader, claiming Sir Keir Starmer is steering the party towards a crushing electoral loss to Reform UK.

Maryam Eslamdoust, General Secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA), said it was “time for Labour to have a woman at the helm” as she launched a pointed attack on the Prime Minister’s leadership.

Although other union bosses have previously suggested Sir Keir should consider his position, Ms Eslamdoust is the first to explicitly back Ms Rayner as his successor.

In comments to The Guardian, she said: “The Conservatives have had three women Prime Ministers and four female leaders Labour hasn’t had one. Angela Rayner is a serious and credible candidate.

“Some women MPs are vocal about the need for a female deputy. If they genuinely believe that, they should back Angela Rayner and show it.”

A spokesman for Ms Rayner said: “There is no contest and no vacancy. Angela has been clear Labour must come together, avoid distraction and work as a team to deliver for the public.”

A Downing Street spokesman said: “Keir Starmer is one of only four Labour leaders ever to have won a general election.

“He has a clear five-year mandate from the British people to deliver change and that is what he will do.”