PM facing claims of 'stitch-up' in battle to replace Rayner - as first candidate enters race

Sir Keir Starmer volition big the archetypal gathering of his new-look furniture today, arsenic the contention to regenerate Angela Rayner arsenic Labour's lawman person gets nether way.

Left-wing MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has go the archetypal to propulsion her chapeau into the ring, aft erstwhile transport caput Louise Haigh - who resigned past November - ruled herself out.

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Ms Haigh said she would similar to enactment connected the backbenches wherever she tin "speak plainly and run boldly".

Ms Ribeiro-Addy has the backing of the Socialist Campaign Group (SCG), which met successful Westminster connected Monday nighttime to coalesce astir 1 campaigner pursuing disapproval of the contest's rules.

Hopefuls wishing to participate the contention lone person until Thursday to unafraid the backing of 80 of their colleagues, which immoderate backbenchers perceived arsenic a "stitch-up" to forestall MPs connected the near from standing.

In a station connected X past night, Ms Ribeiro-Addy said she looked guardant to explaining her candidacy "over the 3 abbreviated and undemocratic days we person to bash so".

The Clapham and Brixton Hill MP has been backed by Richard Burgon, who said she "would guarantee Labour members' voices are heard astatine the apical of our enactment - and not sidelined by yet much stitch-ups".

Brian Leisham, the MP for Alloa and Grangemouth, echoed that praise, penning connected X: "The enactment needs a beardown dependable from the near arsenic lawman leader. Someone who volition correspond the authorities and opinions of the fertile and record grassroots members who privation to spot america govern by existent Labour values."

Ms Ribeiro-Addy was sacked arsenic commercialized envoy for rebelling against the authorities implicit payment cuts successful July.

MPs keen for non-London candidates

Many Labour MPs person said they privation a pistillate to instrumentality implicit from Ms Rayner, who resigned past week admitting to underpaying stamp work connected her 2nd home.

However, they person besides said they privation idiosyncratic from extracurricular of London to counteract the fig of MPs from the superior successful authorities - including Sir Keir's caller lawman premier minister, David Lammy.

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This mightiness besides marque things tricky for Dame Emily Thornberry, a chap London MP who has been approaching colleagues astir standing.

In a WhatsApp connection seen by Sky News, the seat of the overseas affairs prime committee said the authorities has made "too galore mistakes" connected issues similar payment betterment and Gaza, and Number 10 "aren't listening" to the concerns of backbenchers.

But Patrick Hurley, the MP for Southport successful Merseyside, told Sky News helium would similar a lawman person who is "geographically person to home".

Lewis Atkinson, the MP for Sunderland Central, said connected X that, fixed the geographical organisation of the existent cabinet, helium volition besides beryllium looking to enactment "a non-London woman".

Backbench MPs Callum Anderson and Connor Naismith person expressed a akin view, arsenic person the likes of Labour adjacent Harriet Harman and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

'We request beardown voices pushing for renewal'

Northern pistillate MPs being encouraged to basal see the erstwhile transport caput Ms Haigh arsenic good arsenic erstwhile Leader of the House of Commons, Lucy Powell, who was sacked successful the furniture reshuffle past week.

Ms Powell, the MP for Manchester Central, is understood to beryllium "taking soundings" aft being approached by colleagues.

Ms Haigh, who was forced to resign aft it emerged she pleaded blameworthy to a transgression offence, said she was "deeply grateful" for the encouragement she had received from colleagues but would not stand.

In a connection to Sky News, she said: "Labour was elected successful 2024 to rebuild Britain - not simply to dependable the ship, but to remake it completely.

"We request beardown voices pushing for that renewal: connected the economy, connected workers' rights, and connected clime change. For me, that means remaining connected the backbenches for now, wherever I tin talk plainly and run boldly."

Could apical ministers participate race?

The lawman person of Labour is an elected presumption voted connected by members.

Ms Rayner discontinue the role, on with her authorities positions arsenic lawman premier curate and lodging secretary, aft she was recovered to person breached the ministerial code for failing to get close taxation advice.

It is not wide if a Starmer loyalist volition enactment themselves forward.

Many furniture ministers person ruled themselves out, including Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Health Secretary Wes Streeting.

Sky News understands Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, from Sunderland, is connected the brink of entering the race.

Housing curate Alison McGovern, who represents Birkenhead adjacent Liverpool, has besides not ruled herself out.

Either of these could extremity up being Downing Street's preferred prime and would besides beryllium fashionable among MPs who not lone privation a bluish woman, but idiosyncratic who volition enactment constructively with authorities alternatively than reason it.

However, if a curate enters the contention and loses, that would beryllium a immense stroke to Sir Keir's authority, arsenic the effect would wide beryllium seen arsenic a referendum connected his enactment and policies.

As 1 backbench MP enactment it: "The question is who is consenting to beryllium humiliated connected behalf of Keir Starmer, truthful acold nobody."