Who is Shabana Mahmood? UK may get its first Muslim PM as Starmer faces Mandelson-Epstein scandal
As Starmer faces a leadership crisis, Shabana Mahmood has emerged as a key contender, with the experience and influence to potentially reshape UK politics.
BRITISH Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing one of the most serious challenges of his tenure after revelations about former UK ambassador Peter Mandelson’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The fallout has left Starmer’s leadership under intense scrutiny, with calls from within his own Labour Party for him to resign.
Amid the political turmoil, attention is turning to potential successors — most notably Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, a rising star in Labour’s ranks who could become the UK’s first Muslim prime minister if she mounts a successful leadership bid.
Starmer under pressure
Starmer, elected in a landslide in July 2024, appointed Mandelson as ambassador to the United States despite the latter’s connections with Epstein. Newly released emails suggest Mandelson passed sensitive government information to Epstein, fueling anger across the party and the public. Starmer has apologised for being misled but faces growing calls to step down.
Labour Party rules require leadership challengers to secure 20% of MPs’ nominations — 81 colleagues — making an immediate ousting difficult. Meanwhile, upcoming local elections and a special parliamentary contest in Gorton and Denton are expected to influence the timing for any leadership challenge.
Who is Shabana Mahmood, a potential successor
Shabana Mahmood, 45, has served as Home Secretary since 2025 and previously as Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, implementing high-profile policies on prison reform, immigration, and policing. A barrister by training, Mahmood represents Birmingham Ladywood in Parliament and belongs to the socially conservative Blue Labour faction.
Early life and career: Born in Birmingham to Pakistani parents, Mahmood spent part of her childhood in Saudi Arabia before returning to the UK. She studied law at Lincoln College, Oxford, and became a barrister specialising in professional indemnity law before entering politics.
Political career: Mahmood was first elected to Parliament in 2010, becoming one of the UK’s first female Muslim MPs. She held various shadow cabinet positions, including Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and National Campaign Coordinator.
Government leadership roles: Appointed Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary in 2024, Mahmood implemented early prisoner release programs to ease overcrowding and led responses to civil unrest.
As Home Secretary from 2025, she has pursued a tough stance on immigration, introduced landmark refugee reforms, and spearheaded the UK’s largest rollout of live facial recognition technology in policing.
