Title: How Rayner, Streeting, and Burnham Undermined the Prime Minister in a 12-Hour Political Storm

On Wednesday, while Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stood in the House of Lords listening to the King outline the government’s agenda for the year ahead, three of his most significant rivals within the Labour Party were actively plotting their next strategic moves. Andy Burnham spent the day lobbying MP Josh Simons, a former staunch supporter of Starmer, urging him to end his parliamentary career to bolster Labour’s standing. Meanwhile, Wes Streeting remained in Parliament with his inner circle, weighing the possibility of resigning as health secretary—a position he had long desired. That same afternoon, Angela Rayner withdrew to a London hotel room to secretly record a television interview addressing her tax settlement with HMRC.

The following day, over a 12-hour period of intense political turbulence that significantly weakened the Prime Minister, all three figures executed their plans.

Rayner’s Strategic Return

The crucial email from HMRC arrived in the inbox of Rayner’s tax lawyer, Graham Aaronson, on Tuesday afternoon. For the team surrounding the former deputy prime minister, the response brought a sense of relief and vindication. "The key point was she'd been cleared of either tax dodging or being careless," an ally noted. Although Rayner agreed to pay £40,000 in unpaid stamp duty, the timing of the clearance was unexpected yet potentially advantageous. The decision emerged just as MPs were divided over Starmer’s leadership and the prospect of a leadership contest began to gain traction.

According to allies, Rayner wished to avoid overshadowing the King’s Speech or undermining new legislation she had helped craft during her time as a minister. However, she still sought to make a substantial impact. Her team opted to conduct two interviews—one for a newspaper and one for television—but delayed their publication until the following morning. Shortly after the monarch removed his Imperial State Crown and robes and returned to Buckingham Palace by carriage, Rayner met with Guardian journalist Pippa Crerar in central London. She subsequently sat down with ITV’s Paul Brand in a nearby hotel suite. Both interviews were released at 06:00 on Thursday.

"It was timed to make sure we got it out, and it had a fair wave of attention before other dramas kicked off," an ally explained. Notably, Rayner did not inform the Prime Minister of her plans.

Streeting’s Resignation

As Westminster focused on Rayner’s interviews, Streeting remained undecided about his future. "He didn’t begin the week planning to resign," a colleague stated. However, his departure seemed increasingly inevitable as days passed. During a brief meeting on Wednesday, Streeting informed Sir Keir that he had lost confidence in the Prime Minister’s leadership. This ambiguity led critics to label him a "bottler," arguing he had not gathered sufficient MP support to formally challenge Starmer.

Streeting’s allies rejected this characterization. "I've seen the spreadsheet," one claimed, while another colleague added, "He'd been calling round MPs and had got the numbers he needed, but through those conversations he'd concluded that any contest would have to enable the broadest set of candidates." This approach meant allowing Andy Burnham the opportunity to declare his intentions and return if he chose to do so.

Furthermore, Streeting’s team recognized that without a credible victory, he would struggle to command the support of Labour MPs, particularly if difficult legislation arose. Streeting finalized his decision on Thursday morning. "He had a few cabinet ministers and people in Number 10 asking him not to go," a supporter recalled. "But he spoke to friends and colleagues in Parliament and made up his mind."

Drafting his resignation letter in his wood-paneled office at the Palace of Westminster, Streeting did not take the decision lightly. A friend noted, "But once he'd made it, he was certain it was right and honourable. It was done with a heavy heart but with total conviction." Streeting was with his

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-05-15 20:21:08 UTC