Rayner Issues 'Last Chance' Warning to Starmer
Angela Rayner has urged Sir Keir Starmer to accelerate efforts to deliver change, cautioning that Labour faces its "last chance" following significant election defeats this week.
In a statement responding to Labour's poor electoral results, the prime minister's former deputy emphasized the need for bolder measures to improve public well-being.
Rayner, considered a potential candidate to succeed Sir Keir, expressed support for the return of Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to Westminster, after the party prevented him from standing as a Member of Parliament.
Although she did not initiate a leadership challenge, her remarks increase pressure on Sir Keir, who is expected to reinforce his leadership in a speech scheduled for Monday.
Calls for Action on Inequality and Living Standards
In her first public statement since Thursday's elections, Rayner urged Sir Keir to intensify efforts to address inequality and the issue of "squeezed living standards."
"We are in danger of becoming a party of the well-off, not working people,"
"What we are doing isn't working, and it needs to change. This may be our last chance."
Within her 1,000-word statement, she advocated for Labour to grant regional mayors increased economic authority, raise the minimum wage, and embrace "new forms of public, community and cooperative ownership across the board."
Election Results and Party Challenges
The statement follows Labour's loss of nearly 1,500 councillors in England, primarily to Reform UK and the Greens, and the party's removal from power in Wales.
Labour secured a joint second place in Scotland, where the Scottish National Party (SNP) maintained control of the Parliament.
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