Angela Rayner has been compelled to publicly refute claims that she is being courted to form a "joint ticket" alliance with Health Secretary Wes Streeting to eventually take over the Labour Party leadership.
Denials and Alleged Overtures
A source close to the former deputy prime minister stated unequivocally that "there is no vacancy and there is no pact", emphasising that Ms Rayner "will not be played like a pawn". The denials follow a report in The Telegraph on Saturday 6 December 2025, which suggested allies of Mr Streeting were pressing for a "unity" pact between the two senior Labour figures.
According to the report, the alleged proposal could have seen Ms Rayner offered a significant incentive to back Mr Streeting in any future leadership contest. This was rumoured to include a promise of a return to a top cabinet role, possibly even her former position as deputy prime minister, or a lifetime peerage.
A Pattern of Speculation and Briefing Wars
This incident is the latest in a series of damaging briefings within the party. Last month, Mr Streeting was forced to deny plotting to unseat Prime Minister Keir Starmer, labelling such claims as "self-defeating and self-destructive". He later criticised a "toxic" culture in Downing Street following anonymous attacks against him, which some believed were intended to warn off potential leadership rivals.
While the Prime Minister stated he had received assurances the briefings did not originate from Number 10, the episode highlighted internal tensions. Ms Rayner, the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, resigned as deputy prime minister in September 2025 after an investigation into unpaid stamp duty on her former council house. She has since insisted she has "not gone away" from frontline politics.
The Battle for Labour's Future
The Telegraph's report indicated that it was MPs close to Mr Streeting, rather than the Health Secretary personally, who had approached Ms Rayner about a potential pact. One supporter of Ms Rayner told the newspaper: "She knows he would lose if she stood against him. He knows that too. It’s why they’re reaching out."
This sentiment underscores a key dynamic: Mr Streeting, from the party's centre-right, does not command the same level of support among the Labour membership as Ms Rayner, who is from the party's left. A spokesperson for Wes Streeting dismissed the entire story, stating: "This is a silly season story and completely untrue." He added that Mr Streeting's sole focus was on the NHS and averting junior doctor strikes, and that his support for Ms Rayner was being misinterpreted.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer has previously dismissed talk of leadership challenges as a "wasted" distraction from the cost-of-living crisis and public service reforms. The speculation unfolds against a challenging backdrop for the party, which continues to poll at an average of just 18 per cent, far behind Nigel Farage's Reform party.
