𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

The MP for Ashton-under-Lyme said the HMRC investigation into her underpayment of £40,000 in stamp duty, which led to her departure from Government, had “clipped her wings”. She told The Guardian: “I’ll play my part in doing everything we possibly can to deliver the change, because it’s not a personal ambition, I know the difference it makes.”

The former Deputy Prime Minister also denied she had done a deal with potential leadership contender Andy Burnham and refused to talk about “hypotheticals” while adding that she wanted the party to “pull together” after days of turmoil.

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While Ms Rayner did not rule out running in any race, she insisted she would not “trigger” a contest.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting is also thought to be mulling a leadership challenge, with some reports suggesting he could resign on Thursday after Labour descended into open division at the start of the week.

He would need the backing of 81 Labour MPs to launch a formal contest.

Some 87 MPs have so far publicly called for Sir Keir’s resignation, though they are not united around a single candidate to replace him, with Labour’s trade union backers pulling their support for the leader on Wednesday morning.

The Prime Minister is expected to fight any leadership challenge and spent Wednesday afternoon meeting Labour ministers and MPs as he sought to avert a coup.