"As Keir Starmer fights for his political life, the contest to replace him has already begun. The prime minister was already under pressure when the Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, called for on Monday a change of prime minister. Sarwar's comments followed the resignations from Downing Street of Morgan McSweeney, Starmer's chief of staff, and Tim Allan, his communications director."
"Now the revelation that a website claiming to launch a leadership campaign for Angela Rayner was briefly published last month has added to speculation about when the prime minister could go and who may replace him. As the phoney war has gathered pace in recent weeks, allies of Rayner and the health secretary, Wes Streeting, have been taking aim at each other."
"Anyone that has any association with Peter Mandelson should be nowhere near government, Steve Wright, the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, told the BBC on Sunday, in an apparent swipe at Streeting, who has long been close to the former Labour politician and diplomat. Rosena Allin-Khan, the Labour MP for Tooting, told the same programme: Of course, there are people in cabinet who need to question their own positions, because they were very close to people like Peter Mandelson."
"Allies of Streeting have hit back, accusing Rayner's friends of trying to distract from her own political difficulties given tax officials are yet to decide whether the former deputy prime minister underpaid stamp duty when purchasing a flat in Hove last year. The truth is Wes wasn't very close to Mandelson, their relationship has been wildly overwritten. It's not like Wes was invited to his wedding, one of the health secretary's allies said."
Keir Starmer faces intensified pressure following the resignations of his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and communications director Tim Allan. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar called for a change of prime minister, increasing speculation about Starmer's future. A briefly published website claiming to launch an Angela Rayner leadership campaign added to questions over timing and successors. Allies of Rayner and health secretary Wes Streeting have exchanged attacks, with some critics citing associations with Peter Mandelson. Supporters of Streeting counter that claims about Mandelson are exaggerated and pointed to unresolved questions over Rayner's stamp duty.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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