With Burnham blocked, Labour’s attention turns back to Angela Rayner

Following the end of speculation about Andy Burnham's return to Parliament, attention has shifted to Angela Rayner as a potential successor to Keir Starmer as leader of the Labour Party. Rayner, currently a backbencher after resigning as a minister due to a tax issue, is reportedly interested in returning to the cabinet, and Starmer is open to the idea. However, a cabinet reshuffle is unlikely before May's elections, and an ongoing HMRC investigation into Rayner's tax affairs is a complicating factor. Despite this, sources say Rayner and Starmer maintain a good relationship and view each other as an effective political team. Rayner's allies say she would compete for the leadership if Starmer were to step down, and she is frustrated by reports suggesting she would only play a supporting role in someone else's leadership bid.

Explore how the topics in this article connect to other news stories