Angela Rayner's Salon Visit Coincides with Downing Street Turmoil
Angela Rayner appeared all smiles in a newly surfaced TikTok video, enjoying a professional haircut and colour treatment, as Sir Keir Starmer's Number 10 operation faced dramatic collapse with the resignation of his right-hand man. The former deputy prime minister underwent a blow dry and copper colour enhancement to become 'camera ready', amid mounting reports that she is actively positioning herself for a potential leadership challenge behind the scenes.
Timing of Video Fuels Leadership Speculation
Ms Rayner requested 'the usual' from her hairdresser in the footage, which involved touching up her roots with semi-permanent dye and a minor trim to create a 'feathery' front style. The clip was published online mere hours before Starmer's chief of staff Morgan McSweeney announced his departure from Downing Street, following continuing fallout from revelations about Peter Mandelson's relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
McSweeney stated he took 'full responsibility' for the decision to appoint Mandelson as the UK's ambassador to the United States, openly admitting the choice was 'wrong'. With numerous Labour MPs now publicly questioning Starmer's ability to remain as prime minister, political attention is shifting toward the cluster of viable candidates who could potentially replace him.
Rayner's Parliamentary Challenge Demonstrates Ambition
Ms Rayner stands as the principal contender among possible successors, having demonstrated her willingness to confront Starmer directly during an extraordinary Commons session this week. She demanded that Number 10 surrender files concerning Mandelson's appointment to the Intelligence and Security Committee. Initially, Starmer proposed that civil servants should determine which documents could be released on national security grounds, but he ultimately capitulated and handed over the material.
Rayner assumed the role of Starmer's deputy prime minister when Labour gained power in summer 2024, but resigned in September 2025 after being found in breach of ministerial code for failing to pay a £40,000 stamp duty bill on a flat purchase. She is now reportedly engaged in leadership 'manoeuvres' to position herself optimally for power should Starmer step down.
Wider Leadership Contenders and Polling Disaster
Other potential replacements for Sir Keir include Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, Armed Forces minister Al Carns, and Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell. McSweeney's exit followed reports that both Ms Rayner and Deputy PM David Lammy had warned Sir Keir against appointing Lord Mandelson as US ambassador.
An Opinium poll revealed devastating numbers for the prime minister, with 55 percent of the public believing Sir Keir should resign, while only 23 percent think he should remain in post. The PM's approval ratings have plummeted to just 17 percent approving of his performance, compared to 61 percent who disapprove, giving him an overall approval rating of -44.
This makes Sir Keir more unpopular than all other major party leaders, including Kemi Badenoch (-9), Reform UK's Nigel Farage (-11), Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey (-3), and the Green's Zack Polanski (-3). A majority of 56 percent believe Starmer should have anticipated the controversy before appointing Mandelson and should not have proceeded with the appointment.
Internal Party Conflict and Revelations
Friends of Ms Rayner and potential leadership rival Wes Streeting have exchanged bitter remarks amid speculation about a possible contest to replace Sir Keir. Labour peer Lord Blunkett told BBC Radio 4: 'Things are dire. But they're made more difficult from briefings and counter-briefings. When people see a party acting like ferrets in a sack they draw their conclusions.'
Fellow Labour peer Ayesha Hazarika claimed a 'male power structure' was why her party had been 'so seduced' by Lord Mandelson over the years, suggesting he was 'seduced by wealth and power and men with yachts'. She argued this culture explained why he received the ambassador role, with the calculation being that he could operate in the 'slightly tawdry circles' where US President Donald Trump moves.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden suggested the focus on McSweeney's role was 'beside the point', defending both McSweeney and Starmer while noting that 'in the end, it's a prime ministerial appointment'. Additional revelations have emerged that Lord Mandelson received a five-figure payout when he was dismissed from the ambassador role in September last year.
