Two weeks ago, Angela Rayner paid a secret visit to a Labour big beast to canvas support for her exploratory bid to become prime minister.
The former deputy Labour leader travelled to Sheffield to meet Louise Haigh, the ex-transport secretary who, like Rayner, was forced to quit Sir Keir Starmer’s Government.
Since being forced out over a spent conviction, Haigh, known for her Northern straight-talking and bright hair, has become a backroom power-broker by reviving the soft-left Tribune group, a talking shop that bridges Labour’s mainstream and its hard left. Securing the support of its 100 or so MPs is crucial to any leadership tilt.
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Caption: Undated handout composite photo issued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of Chung Biu Yuen (left), 65, a former Hong Kong police officer currently working at the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London, and Chi Leung Wai, 40, a former UK Border Force officer and special constable with the City of London Police. Both individuals were convicted under the National Security Act 2023 following a trial at the Old Bailey. Issue date: Thursday May 7, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: CPS/PA Wire
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: CPS
Provider: CPS/PA Wire
Source: PA
CRIME
UK immigration officer among two guilty of working for Chinese intelligence
A Border Force official and a retired Hong Kong police officer have been found guilty of conducting “shadow policing” operations for China on British soil.
What you need to know
Dual Chinese-British nationals Peter Wai, 38, and Bill Yuen, 65, were convicted of assisting a foreign intelligence service under the National Security Act. Wai was also convicted of misconduct in a public office by searching the Home Office computer system for people of interest to Hong Kong authorities.
Caption: Chung Biu Yuen arrives at the Old Bailey court, during a trial where he and co-defendant Chi Leung Wai are accused of assisting a foreign intelligence service, in London, Britain, May 6, 2026. REUTERS/Toby Melville
Photographer: Toby Melville
Provider: REUTERS
Source: REUTERS
Exclusive
4 min read
A closer look at the detail
The jury, which deliberated for 23 hours and 38 minutes, was discharged after failing to reach a verdict against the defendants in respect of a charge of foreign interference by forcing entry into the Pontefract home of alleged fraud suspect Monica Kwong on 1 May 2024.
Caption: Chung Biu Yuen arrives at the Old Bailey court, during a trial where he and co-defendant Chi Leung Wai are accused of assisting a foreign intelligence service, in London, Britain, May 6, 2026. REUTERS/Toby Melville
Photographer: Toby Melville
Provider: REUTERS
Source: REUTERS
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 02: Chi Leung Wai arrives at the Old Bailey on March 02, 2026 in London, England. Chi Leung (Peter) Wai and Chung Biu Yuen have been charged under the National Security Act with assisting the Hong Kong intelligence service and foreign interference, for allegedly agreeing to undertake information gathering, surveillance, and acts of deception. A third man, a Home Office immigration officer and former Royal Marine, Matthew Trickett, had also been charged, but was found dead in Maidenhead in May 2024. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)
Photographer: Jack Taylor
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2026 Getty Images
The prosecution announced the Crown would not seek a retrial and the defendants were remanded into custody to be sentenced on a date to be fixed on 15 May.
Who were their targets?
Wai worked for Border Force at Heathrow Airport having formerly been in the Royal Navy.
He had gathered intelligence on the orders of ex-Hong Kong superintendent Yuen, who was a senior manager at the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office (HKETO) in London.
Targets included Hong Kong dissidents and protesters living in the UK – with “special attention” paid to politicians including Sir Iain Duncan Smith.
Analysis
8 min read
politics
Inside the Green Party fallout over Polanski antisemitism row
Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, with party supporters during campaigning in Cardiff for the Senedd election. The Greens are expected to make substantial gains in elections across the UK on Thursday (Photo: Jon Rowley/Getty)
Insiders say a sense of unease and panic has overcome the party, with canvassers facing backlash on the doorstep in the final days leading up to today’s election. There is particular concern over their leaders’ handling of the issue.
Candidates arrested
Caption: A sign supporting the Green Party political party is displayed in a residential street on the eve of local and mayoral elections in England and devolved parliamentary elections in Wales and Scotland on May 7, in London, Britain, May 6, 2026. REUTERS/Toby Melville
Photographer: Toby Melville
Provider: REUTERS
Source: REUTERS
Two Lambeth Green candidates were arrested for their social media.
More antisemitic posts have been unearthed by Labour.
The party has tightened up vetting procedures in response.
POLITICS
3 min read
Campaigners fear scrutiny
There is a sense of unease in the party because people aren’t used to having the full weight of the Labour Party briefing against us. There’s a bit of worry in terms of how we are responding to the accusations, but I think Zack was clear that our vetting process hasn’t been good enough.
a source within the green party
Caption: A Green Party political sign put up by the householder to show support ahead of local council elections in London, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Photographer: Alastair Grant
Provider: AP
Source: AP
Copyright: Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
What did Polanski do?
In the wake of the Golders Green stabbings last weekend, the Green leader reposted a video of the attacker’s arrest, criticising the Metropolitan Police for using excessive force. His post sparked outrage.
Green leader Zack Polanski campaigning in Lambeth , south London last month. He told the BBC the messages by candidates accused of antisemitism were ‘unacceptable’ (Photo: Justin Tallis/AFP)
Green Party posters on display in Hackney. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
He has since apologised for the post, telling the BBC that the Green Party is “anti-racist” and that vetting procedures would be improved “to make it clear that antisemitism is completely unwelcome in the Green Party, as it is in society”.
Poll watch
Number of Brits with an unfavourable view of Polanski
47%
This is up from 39 per cent before his post, according to YouGov.
The Greens are still riding high in the polls ahead of today’s elections though.
555
The number of seats the party is predicted to win in today’s elections.
Voting intention has not changed perceptibly since the antisemitism row.
news
How German tourist won £850 payout for losing sun lounger race
Amenities like pools at hotels can often come with an added – and unexpected – resort fee
(Photo: Westend6/Getty Images)
A father has won a court battle with his package holiday provider after failing to secure a sunbed at his hotel in Greece, despite spending 20 minutes a day looking. The loungers had all been reserved with towels in the early morning.
Judge rules in favour of tourist
The unnamed man told a court in Hanover he got up at 6am to try and get sunbeds for his family, but found other tourists had beaten him to it. His children were forced to lie on the floor as a result.
The hotel had banned towel-reserving, but didn’t enforce the policy – the man said this meant he was due a refund.
The practice of ‘reserving’ poolside sunloungers is highly contentious (Photo: clubfoto/Getty Images)
Analysis
6 min read
How the case unfolded
Empty sun loungers line the beach in Lardos, Rhodes, on 29 July, after the wildfires (Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty)
The man, who paid €7,186 for his holiday, said it was “defective”.
The provider initially agreed to pay him €350 but he wasn’t happy.
The judge took his side and ordered the travel operator to pay €986.70.
TRAVEL
7 min read
Sun bed wars
The so-called “dawn dash” or “sun bed wars” have long been a problem on package holidays, with some providers such as Thomas Cook even offering the option to reserve a lounger poolside for a fee.
Cruise ships docked near Great Bay beach in St Martin (Photo: onfilm/Getty Images)
Spain is looking at changing its ‘golden visa’ scheme that offers three-year residency to investors in property or business (Photo: David Ramos/Getty Images)
The practice is frowned upon, with 71 per cent of Germans believing their fellow countrymen to be the worst culprits. But tourists from the UK also think that other Brits are the biggest offenders.
Demand for second-hand motors remains exceptionally high
MOTORING
The ‘sweet spot’ to look out for when buying a used car
A car stops feeling ‘nearly new’ but still drives like one.
Experts say this is the tipping point where second-hand cars drop significantly in price, but are still in good condition, making them excellent value for money.
After three or four years cars drop in price
Analysis by AA cars shows that used cars are significantly cheaper after three years than two, with some dropping almost £4,000 in price overnight.
This is because a wave of brand new cars will have been released, pushing down the value of each generation of older cars. Warrantees often expire around this time too.
BUSINESS
2 min read
OPINION
2 min read
How much could you save?
Peugeots and Fords offer biggest savings
Peugeot 3008 – 19.4% drop
From £18,603 to £14,989 for a three-year-old car.
Toyota Prius – 28.1% drop
From £15,685 to £11,280 for a four-year-old car.
LIFESTYLE
6 min read
It’s a good time to buy
Three and four years is the sweet spot where a car stops feeling ‘nearly new’ in the market, even if it still drives like one…Check service history, tyres and brakes, run an HPI check, and ask why it is being sold. If it is hybrid, ask for battery health and recall history.
ROHIT PARMAR-MISTRY, FOUNDER OF DATA COMPNAY PATTRN
Caption: A sign reads “Cars Wanted 4 Cash” outside an independent second-hand car dealership in Leigh-on-Sea, U.K., on Monday, April 29, 2013. European car sales are sliding to a 20-year low after German concerns over the debt crisis sent demand plunging last month in the region’s biggest economy and removed the main buffer protecting automakers. Photographer: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Photographer: Bloomberg
Provider: Bloomberg via Getty Images
Source: Bloomberg
Towie star dies in Majorca in ‘tragic accident’
Jake Hall, 35, was found dead
at his rented villa this morning, having sustained serious head injuries from smashed glass, reports claim.
Caption: 516274694
Photographer: SamanthaJ
Copyright: GC Images
What we know
The Civil Guard in Palma are investigating Hall’s death, who was on holiday at the time. Police are said to be investigating the theory that he died after “hitting his head against the glass door”.
No arrests have been made but four men and women who were staying at the hotel have been interviewed.
CULTURE
3 min read
TELEVISION
3 min read
Who was Jake Hall?
The model and footballer shot to fame after appearing on the reality show The Only Way is Essex in 2015, quitting in 2024.
He had a child with fellow reality star Missé Beqiri of The Real Housewives of Cheshire in 2017, and the pair were in an on-and-off relationship. He had a second home in Majorca and often spent time there.
Caption: 513608052
Photographer: SamanthaJ
Copyright: GC Images
WORLD
2 min read
Everything you can
and can’t do in a
polling station
Heading to the polls for the
local elections today? Here’s everything you need to make
sure you’re able to vote, and
some dos and don’ts for when
you get there
Caption: Flaeda the poodle, named after the eldest daughter of Alfred the Great, poses for a picture outside a polling station in London, Thursday, May 7, 2026 as she waits for her owner during the UK 2026 local elections.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Photographer: Kirsty Wigglesworth
Provider: AP
Source: AP
Copyright: Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
What do I need to bring?
You must bring photo ID to vote in England
In Scotland and Wales, you won’t need to show ID to vote.
Polling card
You don’t need to bring this with you, but it might speed up the process.
Pen or pencil
These will be provided though you can bring your own if you wish.
NEWS
4 min read
Who can I bring with me?
Children are allowed into the polling station with you, though they shouldn’t write on your ballot paper. Pets usually have to be left outside, except assistance dogs,
Caption: A dog named Obi-Wan Kenobi outside the St James Church polling station in Edinburgh as voters arrive to cast their votes in the 2026 Holyrood elections. Picture date: Thursday May 7, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Nick Forbes/PA Wire
Photographer: Nick Forbes
Provider: Nick Forbes/PA Wire
Source: PA
Caption: Men and their dogs look at signs outside the polling station at St James Church hall in Inverleith, Edinburgh, as voters start to cast their votes in the 2026 Holyrood elections. Picture date: Thursday May 7, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jane Barlow/PA Wire
Photographer: Jane Barlow
Provider: Jane Barlow/PA Wire
Source: PA
If you are disabled, you can bring someone with you to help you vote as long as they are over 18 – they do not need to be registered to vote. Polling station staff can also help you, and you are allowed to bring your phone into the polling booth as an accessibility aid.
A closer look at the dos and don’ts
The polished glass back is highly reflective, but doesn’t appear to attract as many grubby fingerprints as its rivals (Photo: i)
Taking selfies
Taking a photo or video in the ballot booth is illegal, as your vote is meant to be secret.
Political discussions
Campaigning isn’t allowed so don’t speak about candidates or wear political slogans.
Caption: Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey (centre), MP for Epsom and Ewell, Helen Maguire, and MP for Dorking and Horley, Chris Coghlan, surrounded by supporters during a party rally at Redhill Memorial Park in Surrey, on the last day of campaigning ahead of the local elections on Thursday. Picture date: Wednesday May 6, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
Photographer: Andrew Matthews
Provider: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
Source: PA
Nigel Farage with Reform UK candidate Trevor Shonk whilst canvassing for voters ahead of local elections, in Ramsgate, Kent on Thursday (Photo: Ben Stansall/AFP)
Drinking
People who have been drinking or are drunk can vote, unless they are disruptive.
Know your rights
You don’t have to vote, so there’s no reason for you to turn up at the polling station if you don’t intend to do so. If you do go, it’s worth knowing that:
You are entitled to spoil your ballot paper, for example by writing a message in protest . This will be recorded.
Don’t put your name on your ballot paper – If you do it won’t be counted as it’s meant to be anonymous
“Tellers” – volunteers on behalf of candidates – will sometimes stand outside polling stations and ask for your polling card number so they can remind people who haven’t voted to do so. You don’t have to give them your information.
Caption: A group of commuter trains sit in a railway siding in London, U.K. Photographer: Luke MacGregor/Bloomberg
Photographer: Bloomberg Creative
Provider: Getty Images/Bloomberg Creative
Source: Bloomberg Creative Photos
TRAVEL
Train passengers warned of ‘major disruption’
Train services across southern England are being disrupted by a fault with a radio system. National Rail Enquiries said the issue relates to how train drivers and signallers communicate.
It warned passengers that services may be delayed by up to 45 minutes or cancelled, and “major disruption is expected until the end of the day”.
The services affected
The affected operators are CrossCountry, Gatwick Express, Great Western Railway, London Overground, Southern, South Western Railway (SWR) and Thameslink.
Exclusive
4 min read
NEWS
3 min read
A closer look at the detail
The incident was reported shortly before 9am on Thursday.
SWR warned that services across its entire network “may be cancelled, delayed by up to 90 minutes or revised”.
The operator advised passengers to consider using buses “while the fault is being investigated”.
TRAVEL
5 min read
news
Two Brits self-isolating after hantavirus outbreak
Caption: Medics escort a patient, second right, evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship with suspected hantavirus infection, to an ambulance after being flown to Schiphol airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Photographer: Peter Dejong
Provider: AP
Source: AP
Copyright: Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Three Britons have now left the ship, as one man with symptoms evacuated in the Netherlands and two having flown home before the outbreak was discovered.
Contact tracing effort launched
Two British people who left the MV Hondius and returned to the UK two weeks ago have been told to self-isolate. Their close contacts are being contacted to let them know the risk.
Three people have died so far from the outbreak on the ship.
Caption: Health workers in protective gear evacuate patients from the MV Hondius cruise ship into an ambulance at a port in Praia, Cape Verde, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)
Photographer: Misper Apawu
Provider: AP
Source: AP
Copyright: Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Explained
3 min read
Who is still on the ship?
About 150 people are still on board the cruise ship, which is now docked in the Canary Islands, including 18 British passengers and four crew members.
Hantavirus is the same one that claimed the life last year of Betsy Arakawa, wife of actor Gene Hackman (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)
Caption: A Bombardier Challenger 605 medical plane allegedly carrying some of the people believed to be infected with hantavirus passengers from the cruise ship MV Hondius, lands at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam on May 6, 2026. A plane that left Cape Verde following the evacuation of a cruise ship hit by the hantavirus landed in Spain’s Canary Islands on May 6, while a second flight headed for the Netherlands. (Photo by Lina Selg / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: LINA SELG
Provider: AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or licensors
They are expected to be flown home by chartered plane once it is confirmed they do not have symptoms. They will also be asked to self-isolate to minimise the risk to the public in the UK.
What is hantavirus?
Hantaviruses are a group of 38 viruses carried by rodents such as rats, mice and voles, most of which can cause disease in humans. Symptoms vary from too mild to be noticed, to severe lung and kidney problems and even death.
It is thought it was brought onto the ship by a Dutch couple who visited a landfill site in Argentina.
Rats are a common source of hantavirus (Photo: Denitsa Kireva/ Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Contamination could be caused by the previous presence of a factory, power station, landfill site, a mine or petrol station (Photo: Andrew Newark/Getty Images)
Caption: Martin Anstee one of the suspected hantavirus patients removed from the vessel MV Hondius.
Source: Facebook
Former police officer in stable condition
I’m very pleased he’s now in hospital and receiving the treatment he needs.
PROFESSOR ROBIN MAY, CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER AT UKHSA
Martin Anstee, 56, was evacuated from the ship in the Netherlands yesterday after becoming ill with the virus. He is now in hospital and his condition is being monitored.
Rayner is hopeful that an investigation into her tax affairs will soon conclude, paving the way for her to return to frontline politics, either in Cabinet or, as her supporters are urging, with a shot at winning the big prize of the Labour leadership.
However, in a blow to her chances of securing the top job, the former deputy PM left the meeting with Haigh empty-handed. No offer of support was given. And it led many MPs in the caucus to conclude that support from the soft left was instead flowing towards Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, as the preferred replacement to Starmer and the salvation to Labour’s dire polling figures.
Rayner is said to have left a meeting with former Cabinet minister Louise Haigh empty-handed after canvassing for support in any potential leadership race (Photo: Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu)
Haigh’s decision to withhold support came as no surprise to one ally. “Lou has always been a bit prickly about Rayner,” one said. “She’s a bit pissed off that Ange is still in the running to be prime minister after all her tax issues when Lou herself is widely seen to have been ruled out due to a historic spent conviction.”
Starmer is anticipating a bruising weekend, as pollsters predict the worst set of mid-term election results ever for a government. Over the next 48 hours, Labour is expected to lose up to 2,000 seats across the country, as well as the Scottish and Welsh elections.
Louise Haigh with Keir Starmer in 2024 before Labour won the general election. She has now become a backroom power-broker by reviving the soft-left Tribune group of 100 or so MPs (Photo: Ian Forsyth/Getty)
PM ‘almost at point of no return’
The Prime Minister is preparing to face down any attempt to topple him, but many within his party now believe his time may be up. “We are almost at the point of no return,” said one Labour MP. “The public are rightly fed up with a Government that promised so much and yet have delivered so little.”
In January, Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) blocked Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election in an attempt to protect a weakened Starmer from a leadership challenge from the so-called “King of the North”.
But allies of Burnham claim he has identified a new seat and will make a fresh bid to enter Westminster immediately after the local elections.
One supporter predicted confidently that the NEC would not block him again and that he would be prime minister by September. Another ally said there would be “moral pressure” on the NEC and Starmer to let Burnham stand. However, such claims have been dismissed by other MPs as “complete bollocks” and “wishful thinking.” The makeup of the NEC is unlikely to change significantly even after July’s internal elections.
That hasn’t stopped speculation about where Burnham could stand. The seat of Bootle, near Liverpool, is currently held by Labour MP Peter Dowd. He has publicly rejected suggestions that he would vacate it for the Greater Manchester Mayor.
However, one MP who has spoken to Dowd said: “He thinks the Labour Party is facing an existential crisis and Andy is the only one who can save it.”
Other MPs thought to be under pressure to give up their seats include Charlotte Nichols, the Warrington North MP, and Marie Rimmer, MP for St Helens South – although both deny being approached. Sources close to Burnham deny these constituencies were ever in contention. Another being watched closely is Rusholme in Manchester, currently held by Afzal Khan, one of Burnham’s closest political allies and former lord mayor of the city.
Any leadership bid by Burnham faces one big stumbling block: Starmer himself. The Prime Minister has told allies that he would “never” let Burnham return to Westminster while he is in No 10.
Starmer and his wife Lady Victoria arrive to cast their local election ballots in Westminster (Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP)
Rayner allies: Burnham should ‘get realistic’ and get out of way
This would leave Rayner as the most popular candidate from the soft left if Burnham fails in his bid to re-enter Parliament. Her allies claim she believes that he needs to “get realistic” about his prospects and get out of her way. Their message to him is to let Rayner take the reins immediately, and then she will allow him return to Westminster when she is installed as PM.
And while Rayner’s allies insist she is “genuinely undecided” about whether she will enter any leadership race, the former housing secretary has previously joked with friends that she will soon return to the Cabinet as its boss.
Rayner, who is MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, is also understood to have agreed a break clause in her autobiography contract that would allow her to return her paid advance in the event she became prime minister or returned to another prominent role. She will also pause plans for her podcast Beyond the Bubble.
One ally said: “She has to give serious consideration to the impact on her family, but if people call on her to stand in the name of public duty, then that’s another story.”
Before she can mount any kind of challenge, she must first await the conclusion of a HM Revenue and Customs investigation into her alleged failure to pay the correct stamp duty on the purchase of a flat in Hove – the row that led to her resignation from the Government. She had expected to be cleared on 23 April and was disappointed when the outcome of the review was delayed, according to allies.
This is not the only recent setback for Rayner, whose stock appears to be waning. Last week, she was forced to deny claims that she had crashed into the entrance door of Strangers’ bar in the House of Commons after a boozy night. She told friends that she had drunk no more than four glasses of wine over the course of the evening and had eaten.
To make matters worse, she has now been told by the House of Commons authorities that left-wing undercover journalists keen to expose Westminster’s drinking culture, after Green MP Hannah Spencer criticised MPs for drinking on the job, may have been secretly filming her.
Rayner stamp duty saga ‘has turned off voters’
During the local election campaign MPs have also complained that a negative view of Rayner has been observed among voters on the doorstep, and would deter Labour’s grassroots from backing her in the event of a contest.
“I’ve been surprised by how much Angela has come up as an issue on the doorsteps. People absolutely loathe her and it’s to do with the taxes”, a Northern Labour MP told The i Paper. “They think she’s become ‘one of them’… and the membership is ultimately misogynistic.”
Another Welsh Labour MP said of Rayner: “I like her, but she would last six weeks. It would be fun while it lasted; the parties in No 10 would be amazing.”
A Labour MP in a London seat also reported Rayner had been mentioned by voters during campaigning, adding that neither voters or members would want to see her partner Sam Tarry, a former Labour MP who lost his seat at the last election, in Downing Street.
“That’s before we get to the tax stuff. The tax stuff completely rules her out,” the MP said. “I think she’s got loads of power. And I think she absolutely can be a kingmaker, and she can demand what role she wants, and she can bring people with her, unions and members. I just don’t think she can be number one.”
Wes Streeting and Rayner are both seen as frontrunners to succeed Keir Starmer (Photo: Hollie Adams/Getty)
Neither Rayner or Streeting want to move first
Rayner’s closest allies believe she will only enter the race to succeed Starmer if Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, enters the fray. “Then she would feel compelled to do it,” one source said. “She will not be the instigator or the first mover.”
However, allies of Streeting have suggested he will not challenge Starmer and will only enter the contest if it “all falls apart”.
And so a stalemate is developing. “Like in the start of the First World War, when the Russians mobilised, they couldn’t be stopped. But no one is mobilising yet. If Wes moves, then Ange has to move,” a Government source told The i Paper.
Such a stand-off could delay any imminent risk to Starmer – although some of Streeting’s supporters believe he will have to move quickly if he is to stand any chance of winning. His time is running out, they suggested.
‘If Wes is going to go for it, he’s got to go quickly’
“Wes has got to move. Because if it was Angela versus Wes for the leadership, I think Wes would win because her star is waning. If it’s Andy versus Wes, Andy would win. So, if Wes is going to go, he’s got to go quickly,” the MP ally of Streeting said.
Another MP who has been watching events carefully suggested Streeting’s window of opportunity would only last until the King’s Speech on 13 May, when he would risk becoming seen as a “David Miliband figure” – a reference to the former foreign secretary who failed to challenge Brown in 2008. “The only one who benefits from delay is Burnham,” the MP added.
Earlier this week, it was reported that disgruntled backbenchers intend to send an open letter to Starmer demanding he set out a timetable for his departure. The Times claimed the letter was being coordinated by the 2024 intake known as the “Starmtroopers”. There is also suggestions that a second letter coordinated by Burnham supporters is also in circulation calling for him to be allowed to return to Westminster. One source said: “The letter is code for delay and a ploy by Burnham’s supporters to stop any contest happening until he returns to Westminster.”
However, other Labour MPs are doubtful even about the existence of such letters.
That hasn’t stopped the temperature rising at Westminster. Labour MPs are planning on coming back to London on Sunday to be in the thick of the action even though Parliament is prorogued until Wednesday, according to sources.
No 10 clears Starmer’s diary for possible reshuffle
Perhaps they believe they may be offered a job if Starmer presses ahead with a reshuffle on Monday. The i Paper understands No 10 has cleared his diary. He is understood to hate reshuffles and Government sources insist that if any takes place it will “not be a big one”. Those rumoured to be in line for new jobs in the Cabinet include Rayner and Lucy Powell, Labour’s deputy leader, who is close to Burnham and has rallied behind Starmer in recent weeks and days.
But the PM may also still be firefighting after a torrid weekend. Sadiq Khan, the Labour Mayor of London, is expected to record a pool clip on Saturday morning. Support for Zack Polanski’s Green Party is expected to surge across the capital.
Starmer is set to face stinging criticism from all quarters of the Labour Party over the weekend. The First Minister of Wales, Baroness Eluned Morgan, could lose her Senedd seat, and Anas Sarwar, Labour leader in Scotland, could repeat his call for Starmer to resign. More likely, according to some, is that the Prime Minister is asked to set out a timetable for his own departure.
“I think there will be a move to force Keir to set out a timetable, but I think this comes from a critical mass of people expressing their discontent on Friday and over the weekend,” said one Labour MP. “You’ll get a group of mayors from across the country who might come out for Andy [Burnham], council leaders who have lost their seats, Eluned, Anas, MPs in Parliament, former Cabinet members. They’ll all start making enough noise and asking the Prime Minister to set out a timetable for when he’ll go.”
Starmer’s allies insist he is going nowhere and that his chances of survival are underpriced. A Government source said: “He is still a lot stronger than people think and there is no clear candidate or path to change leader. Everyone says they hate Keir until they stand him next to another candidate.”
Starmer won the Labour leadership in April 2020 with a pledge to unite the party’s warring centrist and socialist factions. This weekend, he will have to show he’s capable of uniting the party again and moving forward. But there are plenty of candidates waiting in the wings should he fail.