Wes Streeting expected to launch Labour leadership bid

Allies of Britain’s health secretary Wes Streeting were telephoning Labour Party MPs on Wednesday night asking them to back him in an imminent heave against UK prime minister Keir Starmer. Starmer had a 16-minute Downing Street meeting with Streeting yesterday, after which Starmer said he had “full confidence” in him. A challenger needs a minimum of 81 MPs – roughly one fifth of Labour’s parliamentary party – to pledge their formal backing to trigger a leadership contest under party rules. Backers of another would-be challenger to Starmer, the Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who is not an MP, were insisting he still had time to enter the race. Starmer’s position has become increasingly tenuous since Labour’s hammering in elections across Britain last week. Wes Streeting comes from the right of the Labour Party, so if a contest were triggered, MPs of the so-called “soft left” are expected to produce their own candidate to oppose both him and Keir Starmer, whose poor local election results, personal polling and perceived struggle to get to grips with Britain’s problems have rendered his position shaky within the party. Manchester mayor Andy Burnham lacks the seat in Parliament required to challenge in an imminent contest, so an alternative is required. By coincidence, the way has been cleared overnight for another candidate however. Angela Rayner has been cleared by tax authorities of deliberate wrongdoing or carelessness over her tax affairs, the Guardian’s Pippa Crerar reports overnight, paving the way for a potential leadership bid. The former deputy prime minister has settled £40,000 in unpaid stamp duty after initially paying the lower rate, but has not paid any penalty as a result of the investigation. The revenue commissioners were also satisfied there was no tax avoidance. Ed Miliband, a former Labour leader, has also featured in discussions as an option should he be needed. A contest for the leadership of the UK Labour Party and a place in 10 Downing Street threatens again to break out on Thursday with health secretary Wes Streeting thought to be on the verge of resigning from cabinet. Allies of Streeting were phoning fellow MPs on Wednesday night asking for support in a putative heave against prime minister Keir Starmer, London correspondent Mark Paul reports. A challenger needs a minimum of 81 MPs – roughly one fifth of Labour’s parliamentary party – to pledge their formal backing to trigger a leadership contest under party rules. Starmer is automatically entitled to enter the contest to defend his position. It is understood that he plans to fight that contest if it is triggered.