Rayner issues ‘last chance’ warning to Starmer and backs Burnham to return11 hours agoPaul SeddonPolitical reporterReutersAngela Rayner has warned that Labour faces its “last chance” after heavy election losses this week, as she backed Andy Burnham to return to Westminster.In a statement following Labour’s disastrous performance at the polls, the former deputy prime minister said the party had been wrong to block the Greater Manchester mayor from standing as an MP earlier this year.Rayner, seen as a potential contender to replace Sir Keir, called on him to “meet the moment” with bolder action to make people feel better off.She did not launch a leadership challenge herself, but her intervention will add to pressure on the embattled prime minister, who will try to shore up his premiership in a speech on Monday.In her first public comments since Thursday’s elections, Rayner called for Sir Keir to take more action to tackle inequality and “squeezed living standards”.In her 1,000 word statement, she called for Labour to offer regional mayors more economic powers, raise the minimum wage, and be “unafraid to promote new forms of public, community and cooperative ownership across the board”. In her first public comments since Thursday’s elections, Rayner called for Sir Keir to take more action to tackle inequality and “squeezed living standards”.In her 1,000-word statement, she called for Labour to offer regional mayors more economic powers, raise the minimum wage, and be “unafraid” of promoting new forms of public ownership across the board “What we’re doing isn’t working and it needs changing.” This may be our only chance. Rayner and Burnham, along with Health Secretary Wes Streeting are believed to be the two main contenders for Sir Keir’s leadership. In her statement, Rayner didn’t endorse the Greater Manchester Mayor as a candidate for the leadership, but said that it was a “mistake” on the part of the party to prevent him from standing in the February “We must demonstrate that we understand the magnitude of change that the moment requires – that means that we bring our best players to Parliament,” she said. She added that this meant “embracing the type agenda that has been successful on a local basis, rather than reaching out to an agenda and politic that have failed people.” Can Starmer survive in the role of PM. Seven scenarios of what could happen next. Former minister Josh Simons said that the prime minister has “lost the nation”. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson warned MPs not to start a contest and supported Sir Keir as the leader of Labour at the next general elections. Burnham is not allowed to enter a leadership contest until he becomes an MP. The mayor’s supporters hope that a leadership race can be postponed until he returns to Parliament. Rayner resigned from her position as Sir Keir Starmer’s deputy premier in September last year after it was revealed that she had not paid the correct amount of Stamp Duty on a PS800,000. It has been widely reported she is still awaiting the results of an HMRC inquiry into the purchase. This could complicate a leadership campaign. Angela RaynerKeirStarmer
