Labour latest: Streeting insists he has the numbers

A battle appears under way to lead the Labour Party and become the next Prime Minister amid feverish speculation a leadership contest will be triggered today.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting is widely believed to launch a formal challenge to Sir Keir after the pair’s 15-minute showdown in Downing Street before the King’s Street.

Angela Rayner has declared she has been cleared by the taxman thereby eliminating a major obstacle between her and the highest job in the land.

While Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is also poised to reveal whether he has a pathway to return to the Commons to re-enter the fray.

Ed Miliband and junior minister Al Carns have also been talked about as running in any contest.

Meanwhile allies of Sir Keir are continuing to signal their support amid suggestions the Prime Minister won’t leave No10 without a fight.

Daily Mail columnist Dan Hodges says while much of the attention in Westminster remains on Wes Streeting, Andy Burnham is garnering a lot of interest as well.

The Greater Manchester Mayor is reportedly set to announce he has found a seat to return to the Commons and stake his claim for the leadership.

Downing Street declined to comment on Angela Rayner’s announcement she has been cleared by HMRC, despite Sir Keir Starmer previously suggesting there was a path back to Government for her if she were exonerated.

Asked whether there was a route back for her or whether there were still question marks over her underpayment of stamp duty, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘I think you’re asking about hypothetical Cabinet change, which I’m not going to engage in’.

He added: ‘It’s not for me to comment on an individual’s tax affairs, and as I say, she’s addressed quite a lot about herself this morning’.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed has arrived in Downing Street, ignoring questions from reporters as he entered No 10.

It has been reported Mr Reed and Sir Keir are due to attend a housing visit this afternoon.

Angela Rayner has said she has been cleared of deliberate wrongdoing in an investigation over her tax affairs, paving the way for a potential leadership bid amid uncertainty over Sir Keir Starmer’s future.

As Health Secretary Wes Streeting mulls whether to launch a challenge to the Prime Minister, Sir Keir’s former deputy did not rule out running in any race but said she would not ‘trigger’ a contest.

Ms Rayner, the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, said the investigation into her underpayment of stamp duty, which led to her departure from Government, had ‘clipped her wings’.

She said: ‘I’ll play my part in doing everything we possibly can to deliver the change, because it’s not a personal ambition, I know the difference it makes.’

But do you think Ms Rayner would win a Labour leadership contest? Vote in the Daily Mail’s latest poll:

William Hill has placed Angela Rayner the new favourite to be the next Prime Minister after being cleared by HMRC over her tax affairs.

Rayner now heads the betting at 9/4, ahead of Andy Burnham at 11/4 and Ed Miliband at 5/1, with Wes Streeting now fourth in the market at 11/2 despite reports that he is preparing to resign from the government and mount a leadership challenge.

Attention is also turning to when Starmer might be replaced as Labour leader.

Spokesperson for William Hill, Lee Phelps, said:

Angela Rayner’s HMRC clearance has sent her odds tumbling in our Politics markets; she’s now 9/4 favourite to be the next Prime Minister, ahead of Andy Burnham at 11/4, with Ed Miliband 5/1 and Wes Streeting 11/2 – even as the Health Secretary is reportedly lining up a leadership challenge.

William Hill odds:

• Angela Rayner – 9/4
• Andy Burnham – 11/4
• Ed Miliband – 5/1
• Wes Streeting – 11/2

Downing Street said the Prime Minister retains confidence in Wes Streeting as Health Secretary and the ‘position hasn’t changed’ since Wednesday.

Asked whether Mr Streeting remained in his Cabinet post, Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesman said: ‘Yes’.

Asked whether the Prime Minister had full confidence in him, the official said: ‘Yes, the position hasn’t changed’.

Downing Street was asked whether Sir Keir Starmer was proud of Wes Streeting’s record in office.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said that ‘thanks to the decisions taken by this Government’ the NHS had improved.

Sir Keir Starmer continues to insist he will fight on, Downing Street said amid threats of a leadership challenge.

No 10 pointed to his comment at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting that ‘the Labour Party has a process for challenging a leader and that has not been triggered’.

Questions are swirling about whether Wes Streeting has the number of supporters needed to force a race, as allies of the Health Secretary were briefing he may be delaying his expected leadership campaign launch because of the growing pressure on Sir Keir to step down.

Insider close to Sir Keir Starmer have claimed Wes Streeting’s team is ‘up to mischief’ amid confusion over whether he will launch a formal challenge today.

Sources close to the Prime Minister’s Chief Secretary Darren Jones have denied rumours that he is telling MPs Sir Keir is going to step down.

Allies of Mr Streeting are briefing he has the numbers to trigger a leadership contest and that the Prime Minister could be preparing to go.

Asked whether Mr Jones has been relaying that information to colleagues, a source close to the Prime Minister’s Chief Secretary said:

No. He spent six hours last night talking MPs down and I’ve been briefing all morning Wes is well short on numbers.

They also said Mr Streeting’s team is ‘up to mischief because they know he’s short on numbers’.

All eyes are on Wes Streeting today as Labour’s leadership anarchy gears up towards a critical moment.

The Health Secretary has yet to break cover to mount a formal challenge to Keir Starmer, amid jibes from loyalists that he is ‘bottling it’ and does not have enough support.

The chaos took a dramatic twist this morning as Angela Rayner declared she had been cleared by the taxman – and suggested Sir Keir should consider quitting.

Even natural supporters of Mr Streeting have concerns that he might only succeed in opening the door for a hard-Left leader.

Backbencher Luke Akehurst said: ‘I would urge Wes not to resign or start a leadership contest. I think he needs to be part of the cabinet team still, and my big concern is that he might start a contest that a candidate from the left of the party would win’.

Allies of Wes Streeting have told reporters ‘things are shifting’ amid doubts the Health Secretary will launch a formal challenge against Sir Keir Starmer today.

His supporters insist he has the numbers required to trigger a contest but whether he actually makes a move remain uncertain.

Meanwhile, one journalist has suggested it appears increasingly unlikely Mr Streeting will launch today.

They claim Angela Rayner’s announcement that she has been cleared by HMRC has made him pause for thought.

Labour MPs on the Left of the party were last night debating whether to back Angela Rayner or Ed Miliband if Andy Burnham is locked out of the race.

Mr Miliband was emerging as favourite despite being rejected by the public at the 2015 election, although his wife Justine Thornton is thought to be against the idea of him running for the leadership again.

The Energy Secretary would be seen as the ‘Stop Streeting’ candidate

Other potential candidates on the soft left include deputy leader Lucy Powell and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.