Angela Rayner Deputy PM rules out bid for leadership of party

Angela Rayner has ruled out running for leader of the Labour party, saying she would "never" consider putting herself forward as prime minister.

- Jessica Elgot

Rayner, who is the Labour grassroots' favourite to replace Keir Starmer, has faced internal criticism after the leaking of a memo where she set out proposals on taxing the wealthy and clamping down on benefits for migrants. Sources close to the deputy prime minister have denied she was behind the leak or was challenging Starmer's leadership.

"I do not want to run for leader of the Labour party. I rule it out," Rayner told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme. "I'm absolutely focused on working with the PM and the cabinet. This is the honour of my life."

Asked on Sky News, she also ruled out ever running to replace Starmer. "I don't want to be leader of the Labour party," she said. "I'm very happy and honoured to be deputy prime minister of this country, and I've got a lot in my in-tray to prove that I can do the job that I'm doing and deliver on the milestones for the people of this country." Asked to say the word never, she replied: "Never."

Rayner said there would be an inquiry into who had leaked the private memos, which were given to the Telegraph. "It's really damaging, because we have lots of sensitive conversations in the round, all of us, and then we make a collective decision."

Of the seats it contested in the local elections or dropping behind Reform UK in recent polling, there are several warning signs that Labour is facing an increasingly disenchanted public.