JUST IN! Angela Rayner unleashes a blistering attack on Starmer, accusing him of losing voter trust amid Labour’s internal chaos. The former deputy PM’s explosive Guardian piece exposes government divisions over housing policy, reigniting leadership speculation and plunging Number 10 into deeper crisis as fractures widen across the party’s core.
Angela Rayner, once Labour’s deputy prime minister, has returned to the political battlefield with a vengeance, publicly condemning her former leader Keir Starmer and the government she recently served. Her searing op-ed in The Guardian highlights a deepening split at the heart of Labour, focusing primarily on mounting disillusionment among voters.
This latest salvo follows months of silence after Rayner’s dramatic resignation last September linked to a £40,000 stamp duty 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝓃𝒅𝒂𝓁. Now, she is back, targeting the government’s wavering commitment on leasehold reform— a policy that directly affects millions of property owners grappling with crippling ground rents.
Rayner’s critique doesn’t mince words. She accuses ministers of bending under pressure from powerful investors, undermining the party’s manifesto promise to protect ordinary leaseholders. Her words suggest a government increasingly beholden to vested interests rather than the working-class voters Labour long claimed to champion.
The crux lies in housing legislation stalled amid fierce disputes within cabinet. While Housing Secretary Steve Reed pushes forward to cap escalating ground rents at £250 annually, Chancellor Rachel Reeves voices concern over alienating pension funds and investors. This clash exposes deeper factional divides crippling Labour’s unity and policy delivery.
Rayner’s intervention disrupts the government’s fragile stability, throwing fuel on the fire of ongoing leadership rumors. The ex-deputy’s demands for Labour to unequivocally choose sides echo growing MP unrest and public frustration after a turbulent first year in power marked by internal leaks, resignations, and policy backtracking.
Starmer’s recent Commons admission that leadership speculation is “rife” underscores the severity of the crisis engulfing Downing Street. His struggle to maintain control reflects a party on the brink, where whispers of a challenge evolve from mere gossip to an imminent threat to his premiership.
Inside Number 10, tensions are palpable. Starmer condemns briefings and budget leaks that suggest infighting runs deep, but his warnings ring hollow as factions clearly vie for dominance. The leader’s ability to unify the party is now questioned as political rivals position themselves for a potential power scramble.
Angela Rayner’s political resurrection is stirring the pot in Labour’s northern heartlands, where she maintains strong working-class roots alienated by Starmer’s perceived centrism. Her courageous resignation and renewed vocal stance lend her credibility as a loyal opposition within her own ranks, challenging leadership from the left.
With local elections looming in May, Labour faces a critical juncture. Poor results could trigger a wave of defections and demands for change, feeding momentum to Rayner’s camp and others eager to unseat the party leader before it’s too late. The stakes have never been higher for Starmer’s survival.
This political showdown spotlights the stark choice confronting Labour: remain shackled by internal divisions and investor lobbyists or reclaim its foundational promises to working people. Rayner’s fierce warning is a clarion call for urgent course correction—failure risks alienating voters and unraveling Labour’s already fragile grip on power.
As the battle lines harden, British politics enters a volatile phase. Rayner’s explosive critique has shattered any remaining illusions of party cohesion, thrusting Labour into a high-stakes crisis. The next few weeks will determine if Starmer can quell rebellion and restore confidence or if Labour faces a long descent into turmoil.