Who Is Shabana Mahmood? UK May Get Its First Muslim PM As Keir Starmer Likely To Resign Amid Epstein Uproar

Shabana Mahmood New UK PM? The United Kingdom’s politics is back to a turbulent situation with the leadership of Prime Minister Keir Starmer being put into question. 

The scandal has been associated with the convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, who has been trending lately after the release of the Epstein files by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Keir Starmer Likely To Resign Amid Epstein Uproar? 

On 8 February 2026, Starmer lost his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, who resigned in relation to his role in appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States.

In a statement made publicly, McSweeney has accepted accountability by stating that the move to make Peter Mandelson was a wrong decision.

He has ruined our party, our country, and faith in politics per se. The Peter Mandelson scandal has drawn several critics who assert that it would be the end of PM Starmer.

As various candidates come into view to replace the leadership in the event of Keir Starmer stepping down, Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, is one of the promising personalities who would take over the helm of leadership, and she could even become the first Muslim Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Who is Shabana Mahmood? 

Shabana Mahmood has made history more than once. She’s the first Muslim and only the third woman ever to serve as Lord Chancellor in the UK. Now, she’s the Home Secretary, leading the Home Office since September 5, 2025.

She grew up in Birmingham, born in 1980 to parents who came from Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir. Mahmood’s roots matter to her. She often talks about how her family’s journey shaped her outlook.

After studying law at Lincoln College, Oxford, the same place Rishi Sunak attended, just with a different focus, she became a barrister, specializing in indemnity law.

Mahmood stepped into national politics in 2010. She ran for Parliament in Birmingham Ladywood and won big, taking nearly 56% of the vote. That win made her one of the first Muslim women MPs in Britain.

Over the years, her influence grew. In 2023, The Statesman ranked her the 20th most powerful left-wing figure in Britain. She became Shadow Secretary of State for Justice under Keir Starmer and played a central role in Labour’s campaign strategy, working closely with strategist Morgan McSweeney.

Then, in 2024, she broke another barrier by becoming Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice—again, the first Muslim and third woman to hold the role. She joined the Privy Council that same year.

Shabana Mahmood’s political stance

Mahmood isn’t afraid to take strong positions, especially on immigration. She’s been a vocal critic of illegal migration, calling the system “broken.” In 2025, she pushed for tougher refugee policies in Parliament, including suspending visas for people from Angola, Namibia, and the DRC.

Her stance drew support from some unlikely corners, including far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Still, Mahmood insists her views come from personal conviction, not political posturing.

“My parents came to this country legally in the late ’60s and early ’70s,” she told the BBC. “This is a moral mission for me.”

She’s also weighed in on social issues. Mahmood backed same-sex marriage in 2013. Later, in 2019, she said that when teaching about LGBTQ topics in schools, educators should consider students’ religious backgrounds and age, and take parental consent into account. That position drew criticism from some in her own party.

Now, with the Labour Party facing turmoil after strategist Morgan McSweeney’s resignation, some are speculating about Keir Starmer’s future as Prime Minister.

If he steps down, Shabana Mahmood could be next in line. If that happens, she’ll mark yet another first, Britain’s first Muslim Prime Minister.

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