Angela Rayner snubbed Sir Keir Starmer’s bid to hand her the role of Health Secretary, it has emerged.
The Prime Minister reached out to his former deputy about replacing Wes Streeting, but she made clear she was not interested in the role, according to The Times.
Ms Rayner was contacted by No10 on Thursday after Mr Streeting left the Government with a resignation letter which set the stage for a potential leadership challenge.
Earlier that day, Ms Rayner had announced she had been cleared of tax affairs with HMRC after a dispute over £40,000 of unpaid stamp duty.
Sir Keir had repeatedly said he hoped Ms Rayner would return to the Cabinet.
But a Government source told The Times Ms Rayner was clear she was not interested in a return to frontline politics.
The two did not speak directly at any point, it is understood.
James Murray would be appointed as Health Secretary nearly eight hours after Mr Streeting left Government.
Angela Rayner was offered the role of Health Secretary after Wes Streeting resigned
|
GETTYMs Rayner has not ruled out a leadership bid herself, and has been an ally and friend of Andy Burnham, having supporter his bid for Labour leadership in 2015.
She criticised the Government for not allowing the Greater Manchester Mayor to run in the Gorton and Denton by-election, which was won by the Green Party’s Hannah Spencer.
Josh Simons stood down as Labour MP for Makerfield, allowing Mr Burnham to contest the seat.
The move by Mr Simons had been a “long time” in the making, with talks dating back to last summer, according to the Sun on Sunday.
THE LABOUR LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE – READ MORE:
Wes Streeting resigned from his role as Health Secretary and has said he plans to contest a leadership challenge
|
GETTY
It remains unclear if Sir Keir would himself contest a leadership challenge, if one is raised.
Lisa Nandy, Culture Secretary, said it was entirely up the Prime Minister whether to stand in a leadership contest.
She told the BBC: “It’s a very personal decision for him.
“I haven’t spoken to him this weekend but I’ve spoken to him several times over the last week and obviously he’s shown before that he’s up for a fight.”
James Murray was appointed Health Secretary, eight hours after Wes Streeting resigned
|
GETTY
But a series of senior Cabinet ministers including Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, are said to have advised him to set out a timetable for his departure.
Sir Keir is understood to be seriously considering his departure, with one member of the cabinet saying the Prime Minister wants to resign in a “dignified way”, the Mail on Sunday reported.
Ms Rayner has said that under Sir Keir, Labour was in danger of becoming a “party of the well-off” instead of supporting working people.
She also said Sir Keir had fostered a “toxic culture of cronyism”, naming the appointment of Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the US.