Labour MPs Plot Against Rayner: 'Anyone But Ange' Campaign Launched

A faction of Labour MPs and ministers has initiated an “anyone but Ange” campaign, aiming to block Angela Rayner from ascending to the party’s leadership. Reports indicate that the former Deputy Prime Minister is considering a challenge against Sir Keir Starmer following next week’s local elections, where Labour anticipates a significant setback. This internal opposition signals deep divisions within the party regarding its future direction and leadership.

Concerns among some Labour MPs are that the party could “sleepwalk” into a Rayner premiership. They fear that if Ms. Rayner secures enough support from MPs to reach the final two candidates, she would easily win the leadership contest with the party membership. This outcome, they believe, would inevitably shift the Labour Party further to the left, a prospect that alarms a significant portion of the parliamentary party.

Direct quotes confirm the sentiment. One minister explicitly told The Times: “A lot of us are saying ‘anyone but Ange.’” Another Labour MP echoed this, stating there was “a big … ‘anyone but Ange’ sentiment.” These statements reveal a concerted effort to prevent Ms. Rayner’s rise, highlighting the intense internal battle for control of Labour’s future path. Ms. Rayner and Health Secretary Wes Streeting are currently viewed as the leading contenders to succeed the current leader.

For ordinary British people, this internal strife means continued uncertainty about the Labour Party’s ideological stance. A shift to the left, as feared by some MPs, could lead to more radical policy proposals affecting taxation, public services, and the economy. Ms. Rayner, who resigned last year amidst a tax affairs controversy and is awaiting an HMRC investigation, has made public interventions concerning Labour’s direction. She recently stated on The Rest is Politics Podcast that her 29-year-old son struggles despite working “really long hours,” adding: “That is not a system that Gen Z should have to accept.” She criticised a system that “push and punch people down” where they feel “rigged against them,” suggesting a desire for significant systemic change.

The ongoing HMRC investigation into Ms. Rayner’s tax affairs remains a significant cloud over her political ambitions. Any findings from this inquiry could dramatically alter her standing within the party and among the public. Should the local elections prove disastrous for Labour, the pressure on Sir Keir Starmer will intensify, potentially triggering the leadership contest that Ms. Rayner’s opponents are already mobilising to prevent.