Hair apparent: Tipped for the top Angela Rayner gets haircut as Keir Starmer’s No 10 operation implodes

Angela Rayner was all smiles as she sat down for a new haircut in a video as Sir Keir Starmer’s No 10 operation collapsed with the resignation of his right-hand man.

The former deputy prime minister enjoyed a blow-dry and copper treatment to get himself ‘camera-ready’ as reports mount of him engaging in leadership maneuvers behind the scenes.

Ms. Rayner made a “normal” request from her hairdresser in the images she shared on TikTok; this meant touching up her roots with semi-permanent dye and doing a little trimming at the front to leave it “feathered.”

It is unclear when the video was recorded but the clip was released hours before Starmer’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney was to leave Downing Street following new revelations about Peter Mandelson’s relationship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

McSweeney said he took ‘full responsibility’ for the decision to appoint Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the US and acknowledged it was ‘wrong’.

The outgoing Downing St chief of staff has been one of Sir Keir’s closest aides for nearly six years and was thought by the Prime Minister to be instrumental in his 2024 election victory.

Sir Keir lost two chiefs of staff during his time at Downing Street following the acrimonious departure of Sue Gray in October 2024.

The Prime Minister paid tribute to Mr McSweeney on Sunday for ‘turning our party around’ and said he owed a ‘debt of gratitude’ to his outgoing deputy.

Sir Keir Starmer’s private secretary Morgan McSweeney (left) leaves Downing Street as the Government remains reeling from the Peter Mandelson scandal

Ms Rayner was all smiles as she admired her new hairstyle as reports mount of her behind-the-scenes leadership maneuvers

‘It was an honor to work with Morgan McSweeney for many years,’ the Prime Minister said.

‘He turned our party around from one of its worst ever defeats and played a central role in the running of our election campaign.

‘Thanks in large part to his dedication, loyalty and leadership, we won an overwhelming majority and had the chance to change the country.

‘Having worked closely with Morgan in opposition and government, I have seen every day his commitment to Labor and our country.

‘Our party and I owe him a debt of gratitude and I thank him for his services.’

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Sir Keir of trying to pin the blame for Lord Mandelson’s appointment on Mr McSweeney.

‘This Prime Minister is once again someone else’s fault: ‘Mandelson lied to me’ or ‘Morgan gave me advice’,’ he said.

‘Keir Starmer must take responsibility for his own terrible decisions. But he never does.’

Sir Keir is facing the worst crisis of his 18-month premiership after new developments emerged about Lord Mandelson’s friendship with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein after the Prime Minister appointed him as Britain’s ambassador to the US

Angela Rayner and Sir Keir Starmer were seen as a major political double act amid Labour’s election victory in 2024. Picture: The duo on their campaign journey together in May 2021

The pair’s political relations appeared to falter in Government as they clashed over a number of policy issues

Yet Rayner remains a stalwart and compelling figure in the Labor Party, with loud whispers among his allies that he is manoeuvering leadership behind the scenes

But Sir Keir is said to be facing the worst crisis of his 18-month premiership following the latest revelations about Lord Mandelson’s friendship with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Many Labor MPs are openly questioning the Prime Minister’s chances of remaining in Downing Street amid the scandal that has engulfed his Government.

Instead, the attention of most of the party’s elected representatives is turning to the set of candidates who could replace him.

Among them is Ms Rayner, who showed her willingness to take on Starmer in an extraordinary House of Commons session this week.

He demanded that Number 10 hand over files relating to Mandelson’s appointment to the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC).

Initially, Starmer had suggested that civil servants should decide which files could be released and which should be withheld on national security grounds; but he had to give in and handed over the material to the ISC.

Ms Rayner took on the role of Starmer’s deputy prime minister when Labor seized power in the summer of 2024, but resigned in September 2025 after she was found to have breached the ministerial code by failing to pay a £40,000 stamp duty bill for a flat she bought.

Starmer is now said to be making leadership ‘manoeuvres’ to give himself the best possible chance at power if he resigns.

Former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, hand-in-hand with her partner Sam Tarry, is accompanied by bodyguards as she goes for a walk in the hills above Brighton

Health Minister Wes Streeting, Energy Minister Ed Miliband, Armed Forces Minister Al Carns and Labor Party deputy leader Lucy Powell are also seen as potential replacements for Sir Keir.

Mr McSweeney’s exit follows reports that both Ms Rayner and Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy had warned Sir Keir against appointing Lord Mandelson as US ambassador.

Asked about these reports, Starmer’s Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden told Sky News: ‘That’s up to them. You know, they are over 21, they will have to answer for what they say.’

In his resignation statement, outgoing No.10 chief of staff Mr McSweeney said: ‘After careful consideration, I have decided to resign from the Government.

‘The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong. It damaged the trust in our party, our country, and politics.

‘ When asked, I advised the Prime Minister to make this appointment and I take full responsibility for this recommendation.

‘Responsibility in public life should be assumed not only when it is most convenient, but when it is most important. The only honorable action under these circumstances would be to step aside. This was not an easy decision.

‘Much has been written and said about me over the years, but my motivations have always been simple: I have worked every day to elect and support a Government that puts the lives of ordinary people first and guides us towards a better future for our great country.

Morgan McSweeney (left) resigned as Starmer’s chief of staff on Sunday afternoon

‘Only a Labor Government can do this. I leave with a mixture of regret for the circumstances of my departure and pride in everything we have accomplished.

‘But I’ve always believed that there are moments when you have to accept your responsibility and step aside for a greater purpose.

‘I have two more thoughts as I leave: First and foremost, we need to remember the women and girls whose lives were destroyed by Jeffrey Epstein and whose voices went unheard for too long.

‘Secondly, although I have not overseen the due diligence and investigation process, I believe it now requires a fundamental overhaul. This is not just a gesture, it is an assurance for the future.

‘I support the Prime Minister all the way. He works every day to rebuild trust, restore standards, and serve the country.

‘I will continue to support this mission as much as I can. It has been the honor of my life to serve.’

According to the Opinium poll, 55 per cent of people think Sir Keir should resign, while only a quarter (23 per cent) believe he should remain in office.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s approval ratings are quite low; While only 17 percent approve of Sir Keir’s performance, 61 percent disapprove.

This gives the Prime Minister an overall approval rating of -44, down three points from Opinium’s previous poll.

This means Sir Keir is more unpopular than any other major party leader, including Ms Badenoch (-9), Reform UK’s Nigel Farage (-11), Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey (-3) and the Greens’ Zack Polanski (-3).

The majority of the public (56 per cent) believe Sir Keir should have foreseen the controversy before appointing Lord Mandelson as US ambassador and should not have appointed him.

Only 15 percent believed the decision was reasonable based on what was known at the time.

Friends of Ms Rayner and her potential leadership rival Mr Streeting have exchanged harsh words amid speculation about a possible contest to replace Sir Keir.

Lord Blunkett told BBC Radio 4: ‘Things are dire. However, their job is made more difficult by briefings and counter-briefings.

‘When people see a party behaving like ferrets in a sack, they draw their own conclusions. Let’s try to get our act together once again and speak with a common voice about what we’re about.’

Labor colleague Ayesha Hazarika claimed the ‘male power structure’ was the reason her party had been ‘so seduced’ by Lord Mandelson over the years.

She told Sky News: ‘You know, she was seduced by wealth, power, men owning yachts and all the culture that goes with that.

‘That’s why he was given the job (as US ambassador), because by calculation these were somewhat vulgar circles in which the US President (Donald Trump) moved.

‘And we need a man who can swim in these pools, sit in jacuzzis, and do business with these great men.

‘And this transactional thinking was directed at victims of sexual abuse.’

Mr McFadden suggested that focusing on Mr McSweeney’s role in Lord Mandelson’s appointment was ‘beyond the point’ because he had defended both Mr McSweeney and Sir Keir.

“This is a prime ministerial appointment after all and I think the stuff about Morgan McSweeney is beside the point,” the cabinet minister said.

It has also been revealed that Lord Mandelson received a five-figure payment when he was sacked in September last year.