Rayner's intervention threatens to distract from Streeting's movespublished at 08:01 BST

08:01 BST

Joe Pike
Political correspondent

Angela Rayner‘s intervention today has been both carefully choreographed and carefully calibrated.

The main message she seems to want to get across is that she’s back in the fray, because HMRC has cleared her of deliberate wrongdoing or carelessness over her tax affairs.

In recent days the ongoing uncertainty over her finances has led some natural pro-Rayner MPs on the ‘soft left’ of Labour to look elsewhere and seek out alternative potential successors to Keir Starmer.

The timing of her Guardian and ITV interviews - just as many allies of Wes Streeting expect him to mount a leadership challenge - reasserts her position and threatens to distract from the health secretary’s big move.

Secondly Angela Rayner confirms she is “not doing deals” and has not committed to support Andy Burnham. It remains unclear whether the Greater Manchester mayor even has a route back to parliament.

But thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, Rayner says “I would not trigger the prime minister”. She therefore would not directly challenge Starmer by finding 81 MPs to back her, but she could run in an eventual contest to become Labour leader and prime minister.

Angela Rayner’s intervention suggests there may be a rather full field of candidates if a leadership campaign does begin.

Yet with Labour MPs split on both whether the prime minister should be replaced, and by whom, that contest is not yet inevitable.

Image source, EPA

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent reporting from Downing Street

I just exclusively interviewed the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, in Downing Street for BBC Breakfast.

It’s the first time she has spoken about the prospect of a Labour leadership election.

She said it would “plunge the country into chaos”.

That’s a very, very stark message - and a preview of what we can expect to hear from other Starmer loyalists if Wes Streeting challenges him today.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves says Labour should not plunge the country into chaos by holding a leadership contest "at a time when there is conflict in the world and also at a time when our plan to grow the economy is starting to bear fruit".

Reeves was asked by the BBC about a possible leadership contest and her message for Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who is widely expected to challenge Keir Starmer.

She adds that Labour MPs have "an important decision to make today" as she said the economy is growing strongly because of decisions she has made as Chancellor.

"We shouldn't put that at risk," adds Reeves.

It comes after the latest GDP figures show that the economy grew by 0.6% in the first quarter of 2026. Read more on today's figures here.

Image source, PA Media

Amid the pageantry of the State Opening of Parliament, Wednesday was dominated by talk of a Labour leadership challenge.

The day began with Wes Streeting walking up Downing Street for a meeting in No 10. Less than 20 minutes later, he was walking out the front door again.

Later in the morning - and with the usual pomp and ceremony of a State Opening - the King outlined the government's legislative agenda, announcing bills focused on strengthening ties with the EU and increasing defence spending among other things.

But by lunchtime supporters of Streeting had told the BBC they expect he will challenge Starmer for the Labour leadership as soon as Thursday.

Later in the day, the prime minister met ministers and Labour MPs in Parliament as he warned them any potential leadership contest would "plunge" the party into "chaos".

Angela Rayner says she has been "cleared" by HMRC over a row surrounding her tax affairs - what happened?

Rayner stood down as deputy prime minister and Labour's deputy leader in September 2025, after it was revealed that she underpaid stamp duty on her £800,000 flat in Hove.

Due to complex arrangements surrounding a trust for her disabled son, the flat should have been considered to be Rayner's second home. This meant she owed an additional £40,000 in stamp duty.

Following the scrutiny around her tax affairs, Rayner said last autumn she sought advice from a senior lawyer and admitted that she should have paid the higher rate on the home.

She then referred herself to the prime minister's ethics adviser, who concluded that Rayner "acted with integrity" but had breached the ministerial code.

The adviser also said she did get legal advice when buying the property, but failed to seek further expert tax advice as recommended.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner says she has been cleared by HMRC of wrongdoing over her tax affairs.

She stood down in September 2025 after admitting she underpaid stamp duty on a flat in Hove.

In a statement on Thursday morning, the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne says she "welcomes" the conclusions from HMRC "which has cleared me of any wrongdoing," and says she has been exonerated "of the accusation that I deliberately sought to avoid tax".

She goes on: “When purchasing a home of my own with a mortgage, I did not own any other property and had no personal financial interest in the court-instructed trust set up to manage my son’s financial award. I was advised by experts that I should pay stamp duty at the standard rate.

“I set out to pay the correct amount of tax. I took reasonable care and acted in good faith, based on the expert advice I received, and HMRC has accepted this."

She adds that she "wanted to ensure that I paid every penny that I owed, and have done so".

Big moment ahead for Streeting to decide whether to go for itpublished at 06:40 BST

06:40 BST

Chris Mason
Political editor

Keir Starmer argues a leadership debate will paralyse the government and cause chaos within the Labour Party. Can this argument shrink the potential support for Streeting or any other potential challengers?

But the prime minister also knows that a significant number of his MPs now think he is a loser - and a major factor in the scale of Labour's defeats in elections in England, Scotland and Wales last week.

For those wannabe challengers, the challenge is trying to set out a distinctive and attractive alternative Labour agenda, that can appeal to MPs and party members - and convince them they would be more popular than Keir Starmer.

There is a big moment coming in the next 24 hours: for Wes Streeting, deciding to go for it or not, and the tone and tenor of any launch that he is planning.

For the prime minister, his back is against the wall.

And for any others too, with designs on the top job.

You can read more of Chris' analysis here.

Image source, PA Media

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has warned his party that a Labour leadership contest could result in "chaos", as speculation that Health Secretary Wes Streeting is plotting a run for the leadership.

Allies of Streeting have told the BBC that they expected him to challenge Starmer as early as today.

He would need the backing of 81 Labour MPs to trigger a contest under the party rules.

It comes after four ministers quit and dozens of Labour MPs urged Starmer to quit after last week's heavy losses in elections across English councils, the Welsh Senedd and Scottish Parliament.

We’ll be providing live updates as today unfolds, with plenty of analysis and reaction to come.

Image source, PA Media