Former Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and leader of the ruling Labour Party, Angela Raynor, is plotting against Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was her boss until recently, The Sunday Telegraph reported, citing sources.
According to them, Raynor is already offering ministerial posts in his future cabinet to some members of the House of Commons (the lower house of parliament) in exchange for their support. The newspaper notes that the politician will certainly be able to attract trade unions and receive support from members of the left wing of the Labour Party. However, a source close to Rayner dismissed reports of an alleged plot as misleading.
Rayner resigned from her posts as Deputy Prime Minister, Secretary of State for Housing, Regional Development and Local Government and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party on 5 September in the wake of a scandal involving unpaid council tax on a flat purchased in southern England. She had been Deputy Leader of the Labour Party since 2020 and had been in government since the party's election victory in July 2024. At the time of her resignation, the Financial Times reported that the departure of Rayner, who represents the interests of the left wing of the Labour Party, would weaken the cabinet and make Starmer's position more precarious.
On 11 November, the BBC reported that Health Secretary Wes Streeting intended to remove Starmer from the post of Prime Minister. According to her sources, the attack on the Labour leader and the prime minister could be launched after the presentation of the budget address at the end of November, which is expected to include measures to increase personal income tax, value added tax and social security, in violation of election promises. Streeting himself denied these rumors.
Reports of a possible resignation of Starmer in the next six months began to appear against the background of the low approval ratings of the prime minister. According to an Ipsos poll, only 20% of respondents approve of his performance, while 60% have an unfavorable opinion. This is the highest negative rating among major British politicians. “Daily Mail“ reported earlier that “a consensus has emerged among Labour MPs“ that Starmer is “useless not only in politics but also in public administration“.
According to the latest Ipsos survey, the “Reform UK” party enjoys the highest support among British voters (33%). Only 18% of respondents are ready to vote for the Labour Party, which is the lowest indicator since the financial crisis of 2008-2009.