The Labour leadership contest, which has simmered since Sunday, appears poised to become a genuine contest today. Westminster is braced for Health Secretary Wes Streeting to declare his candidacy, though journalists remain cautious about the certainty.
In a significant development reported jointly by the Guardian and ITV, former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has been cleared by HMRC of any deliberate wrongdoing or carelessness regarding her tax affairs. This clears a potential hurdle for her involvement in the leadership race.
Rayner stated she would not challenge Keir Starmer directly but called for "action, not just words." When asked if Starmer should step aside, she remarked, "Keir will have to reflect on that." While not ruling out her own candidacy, she hinted at supporting another candidate, saying, "I'll play my part in delivering change... it's not a personal ambition."
Rayner has indicated she would be comfortable with Andy Burnham, a fellow soft-left figure, replacing Starmer. However, Burnham would need to secure a parliamentary seat through a by-election. He has cancelled his regular Radio Manchester appearance, citing "discussions arising from last week's local elections."
Key events today include NHS England publishing monthly performance figures at 9:30am, with Streeting expected to comment. The King's Speech debate resumes after 10:30am, focusing on economic growth, and Downing Street holds a lobby briefing at 11:30am.
The political landscape remains fluid, with potential announcements from Streeting and Burnham expected later. The Guardian will continue to monitor developments closely.
