Sir Keir Starmer faces the prospect of being forced into resignation should the Labour Party fail to win the Batley and Spen by-election on Thursday. A Sky News poll showed 41 percent of Labour members taking part in the survey would want Sir Keir to stand down if the key Labour constituency is lost. And an astonishing 69 percent backed Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to succeed him, suggesting he would make for a better leader.

       Sky News' deputy political editor Sam Coates said: "We teamed up with YouGov to ask Labour members what they think should happen.

       "And these are voters, they are the bedrock of the party - who pay ￡50 a year, who go door-knocking, who vote in leadership elections. Their view is absolutely critical.

       "In the event that Labour doesn't win Batley and Spen, and it's not looking good, you can see that 41 percent of the Labour membership should stand down, 48 percent say he should stay.

       "But that's still four out of 10 Labour members thinking that if tomorrow goes the wrong way for the Labour Party then Keir Starmer should go as Labour leader."

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       Mr Coates added: "What do they think might improve the situation for Labour? We asked people if they thought that Andy Burnham would make a better job and 69 percent, seven in 10 Labour members, say they do think it would be better.

       "He would do a better job as a leader than Keir Starmer."

       The survey of 871 Labour Party members also found 69 percent of respondents believe the party is now on track to lose the next general election.

       Labour suffered severe setbacks in recent months, with Sir Keri overseeing the loss of several council seats as well as the loss of the stronghold of Hartlepool in May's by-election.

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       The poll comes as Times political commentator Tom Newton Dunn warned Sir Keir Batley and Spen could be the "last straw" of his leadership.

       Mr Newton Dunn said: "Keir Starmer is in trouble, his leadership is rocking there is no two ways about that.

       "He had a terrible set of local elections in May he lost Hartlepool as well that was devastating for him and he was looking pretty rocky already.

       "A lot of arguments, a big row about his disastrous reshuffle after in the May elections when he wanted to move various people around, they didn't.

       "So it feels like, and certainly the mood in Westminster is, this is the last straw for him."

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       The Times broadcaster added: "He can't seem to retain somewhere like Batley and Spen there is a good twenty other seats in this sort of area.

       "Yvette Cooper is very nearby for example, they would also be very vulnerable though there are some individual circumstances going on here like George Galloway.

       "So it would seem like a Labour leadership challenge would come for Keir Starmer.

       "Probably not immediately maybe it will take until conference in the Autumn but certainly a very dire threat for him."