Sharks circle wounded Starmer: Now Angela Rayner makes her pitch to Labour saying she has ‘not gone away’ – and is ‘already offering MPs Cabinet jobs’ ahead of Budget

Wounded Keir Starmer faces further evidence of leadership jockeying today with Angela Rayner hiding.

The humiliating failure of No10’s pre-emptive strike on rivals last week has effectively fired the starting gun in the race to replace the Prime Minister.

And his former aide has moved to keep himself in the frame by giving his first major interview since resigning because he could not pay stamp duty.

Ms Rayner has re-emerged with an attack on the ‘arrogance’ within Labor ranks and the ‘indiscretion’ of Westminster, casting herself as the unity candidate in the evolving shadow contest.

He claimed Wes Streeting had ‘set up his act’ by making a clear move against the Health Secretary’s ambitions.

There are allegations that Ms Rayner lined up MPs for senior roles in exchange for support; but allies described the idea as ‘complete nonsense’.

Injured Keir Starmer (pictured with Rachel Reeves) faces more evidence of leadership jostling today

Mr Streeting was seen as the big winner from last week’s extraordinary self-inflicted disaster in Downing Street.

After he was singled out in panic-filled briefings to support the Prime Minister’s position, the Cabinet minister criticized No10’s ‘toxic culture’ and ‘self-destruction’, saying those responsible should be sacked.

Sir Keir was trying desperately to save his long-time ally and chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney.

It was later revealed that the Prime Minister and Chancellor Rachel Reeves had made a messy U-turn on plans to raise income tax in the Budget, despite weeks of obvious hints.

Labor MPs were making a push to end the policy, fearing such a blatant breach of the election manifesto would be disastrous.

Mr Streeting once again took advantage of the chaos by announcing that he had never supported the move.

However, while the Health Secretary’s stock has soared, he is still considered too right-wing to win support from Labor members in a contest. He also has a slim majority to defend in his House of Commons seat.

In contrast, Ms. Rayner has support from unions and is seen as a favorite of activists.

Although he was forced to apologize and resign over his tax affairs, supporters pointed to the Prime Minister’s conclusion that the unscrupulous adviser Sir Laurie Magnus had ‘acted with integrity’ despite making mistakes.

The upcoming Budget and local elections in May look like moments of great peril for Sir Keir.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror during a constituency visit to a care centre, Ms Rayner was asked: A return to frontline politics was on the cards.

He said he ‘didn’t go’.

Ms Rayner said: ‘I am and always have been truly humbled, the people of Ashton-under-Lyne have always supported me.

‘I’ve held a number of frontbench positions over the 10 years I’ve been in government and I’ve always brought that back to the people I’m there to represent, and to now have this opportunity to be more involved in the constituency and champion those views is something I’m humbled by and I’m looking forward to the challenge.

‘I have many interests, including child poverty, the fair pay agreement and ensuring the full implementation of the Employment Rights Bill.’

Addressing the turmoil in government, Ms Rayner said: ‘I think Wes has clearly set up his stand after what’s been a pretty turbulent few days, and I think being here for the last hour actually shows you that that chatter in Westminster can seem almost arrogant when you get to the real challenges that real people are facing, and that’s what we really need to focus on.’

Sir Keir said he had been assured that briefings targeting Mr Streeting ‘did not come from Downing Street’, but added: ‘I will certainly deal with anyone responsible for briefings against ministers, Cabinet ministers or other ministers.’

‘I think the party should always be together,’ Ms Rayner said.

‘I’ve always had that nature and the way I work within our movement is; Our movement has many different views and we should always try to anchor ourselves within that.’

Rosie Duffield, who is serving as an independent MP after resigning from Sir Keir’s party last year, wrote about X: ‘Very senior Labor MPs, some recently sacked, are offering positions to other Labor MPs who will support them.’

He also claimed that potential candidates with slim seats at the next election were looking for homes in safer constituencies where they had ‘never set foot before’.

The Canterbury MP did not name the alleged conspirators.

Answering questions in the broadcast studios this morning, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood rejected the idea that Sir Keir should consider his own position.

‘NO. Keir Starmer is our Prime Minister. “About a year and a half ago, we won an election when people thought we wouldn’t win an election for maybe a generation or more,” he said.

‘I don’t have time for that sort of thing that people say or brief off the record, or frankly Westminster gossip.’

Ms Mahmood added: ‘If people have something to say they should have the courage to put their beliefs out there and say it publicly, but that’s not what’s happening.

‘I think what happened earlier this week, together with all these anonymous briefings, was uneducational and deeply embarrassing for everyone involved.’

But Ms Mahmood refused to be carried away by her own alleged leadership ambitions, saying: ‘I am not engaged in speculation and chatter about the future.’

Left-wing MP Clive Lewis publicly called for Sir Keir to be replaced by Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, declaring the Prime Minister’s position ‘untenable’.

He told C4 News: ‘Labour elders… now need to think really, seriously about how we bring Andy Burnham back into parliamentary Labor and allow him to be the next Prime Minister.’

Poor polls showing the rise of reform have caused panic in Labor ranks just 16 months after Sir Keir’s election victory.

Mr Streeting was seen as the big winner from last week’s extraordinary self-inflicted disaster in Downing Street

Despite abandoning the idea of ​​an income tax increase, the Chancellor is expected to place further burdens on ordinary Britons in his budget on 26 November.

Other frequently mentioned candidates for Labour’s top job include Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham – but he will need to find a House of Commons seat to throw his hat in the ring.

Lucy Powell was recently elected deputy leader of the party after being seen as the ‘anti-Keir’ candidate during the campaign. He had been expelled from the Cabinet before.

Ms Mahmood burnishes her reputation by saying she is tough on immigration, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan is also widely thought to be ambitious.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told Sky News: ‘They’re fighting like rats in a sack.

“You will brief Keir Starmer against Wes Streeting.” Angela Rayner is sharpening knives in the background.

‘God knows what Bridget Phillipson and Lucy Powell are up to.

‘Rather than serving the national interest, the Labor Government are fighting each other just weeks away from a Budget that will lead to massive tax increases that will further increase unemployment in this country.’