Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of plotting to stop Angela Rayner and other ‘Left-wing rivals’ ever succeeding him as Labour leader.
The Prime Minister last night faced claims of planning a controversial party rule change to ‘bury the Left for ever’ and prevent any repeat of a Jeremy Corbyn-style leadership.
Critics say the move – to strip rank-and-file party members of their key role in picking the next Labour leader in favour of more power for MPs – would also mean Deputy Prime Minister Ms Rayner would never succeed Sir Keir.
One Left-wing MP said: ‘If you downgrade or remove the role of members to pick the leader, an unconventional figure like Angela wouldn’t stand a chance – which is presumably one reason why Starmer is pushing it.
‘He also wants to bury the Left for ever and make sure we never again elect a Corbyn-like leader.’
Critics also claim that key aide Morgan McSweeney, campaign manager for the general election, is masterminding the leadership rule change, which would have to be approved at this autumn’s annual Labour conference.
Both Sir Keir and Ms Rayner were directly elected in 2020 by a one-member, one-vote poll of party members and supporters. But the system also led to Mr Corbyn’s shock victory in 2015. And last night, insiders claimed Sir Keir, 61, was now determined to stop members having the final say.
It is understood it would involve reverting to an ‘electoral college’ system where MPs, trade unions and members had an equal share of the vote. But some on the Left fear Mr McSweeney’s real agenda is to cut grassroots members out of the process altogether.
Sir Keir attempted to change the rules in 2021, but backed down after opposition from the unions.
But MPs say union bosses will be more likely to compromise with Labour in power and in the face of a major new workers’ rights programme. They also say Sir Keir is far more powerful than he was in 2021, when he failed in an attempt to demote his deputy Ms Rayner.
Tensions have eased between the two since then, although some insiders say Chancellor Rachel Reeves is the ‘real Deputy PM’.
Last night, Starmer allies played down talk of a fresh bid to crush the Left, insisting a separate rule in 2021 effectively barred any repeat of a Corbyn-style candidate by raising the nomination threshold from 10 to 20 per cent of MPs.
A senior Labour source said: ‘In case some quarters have not noticed, we are now a party of power – not protest.’
Now Nandy is Cancelled!
By Grant Tucker, Entertainment Editor
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy – who has declared the ‘era of culture wars is over’ – has been cancelled by the Liverpool Philharmonic.
She was set to speak at an event in the orchestra’s hall in September during the Labour Party conference.
But the plug was pulled after a ‘pile on’ on X because eight years ago event host Iain Dale, of LBC, published the memoirs of Sir Norman Bettison, a police officer present at the Hillsborough disaster.
The orchestra cancelled the event over ‘local sensitivities’.
Dale, 62, said last night it was ‘outrageous’ that it had bowed to pressure online.