Angela Rayner coup 'would trigger early election,' Starmer allies warn
A general election could be triggered if Angela Rayner launches a Labour leadership coup the Prime Minister's allies have allegedly warned.
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Ms Rayner is believed to have amassed a a £1 million war chest to stake her claim for Sir Keir Starmer's position, but doubt has been cast following an ongoing HM Revenue and Customs investigation into the purchase of an £800,000 flat.
The scandal led to her resignation as Deputy Prime Minister, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, and Housing Secretary, after it was revealed that she had not paid stamp duty on the purchase of the seaside bolthole.
Ms Rayner told an MP she "will be ready" to launch a leadership challenge, despite the ongoing probe into her tax affairs, the Daily Mail understands.
Read more: Starmer battles for future after apology over Mandelson appointment with Rayner 'ready to become PM'
Read more: Police raid two homes linked to Mandelson as part of Epstein investigation
Another Labour figure, who has previously served on Sir Keir's front bench told The Telegraph: "Presumably Angela Rayner, if she got elected, would have a completely different agenda.
"If you come in with a completely different agenda, then the country legitimately says 'we didn't vote for this.'
But they added: "So what are the grounds for refusing a general election? You can claim constitutional grounds, but in the world of frenzied media, of TikTok, YouTube and GB News, is it really sustainable? It doesn't feel sustainable to me."
It comes amid a desperate week for the Prime Minister, who was left fighting for his political career after issuing an apology for appointing Lord Mandelson as US Ambassador despite his known ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
In an impassioned speech on Thursday, Sir Keir apologised for the "lies" told by Mandelson about his association with convicted paedophile Epstein.
He described how no one was fully aware of the "darkness" of the links between the pair.
He said: "It had been publicly known for some time that Mandelson knew Epstein. But none of us knew the depth and the darkness of that relationship.
"What has come to light has raised serious questions, information that was not known at the time of his appointment."
The PM has been forced to hand over documents relating to the appointment of Mandelson to Parliament's Intelligence Committee following the backlash.
The Metropolitan Police had urged the government not to release any files on the former US ambassador that "could undermine the current investigation."
On Friday, police were spotted searching two addresses, in Wiltshire and Camden, London, linked to Mandelson in relation to Epstein links.
The Met's Deputy Assistant Commissioner Hayley Sewart, of the Metropolitan Police, previously said in a statement: "I can confirm that officers from the Met’s Central Specialist Crime team are in the process of carrying out search warrants at two addresses, one in the Wiltshire area, and another in the Camden area."
Mandelson has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to his association with Epstein.