Rayner delivers 'last chance' warning to Starmer

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BBC

Angela Rayner has called on Sir Keir Starmer to act faster to deliver change, warning Labour faces its "last chance" after heavy election losses this week.

In a statement following Labour's disastrous performance at the polls, the prime minister's former deputy said he needed to "meet the moment" with bolder action to make people feel better off.

Rayner, seen as a potential contender to replace Sir Keir, backed the return of Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to Westminster, after the party blocked him from standing as an MP.

She did not launch a leadership challenge herself but her intervention will add to pressure on Sir Keir, who will try to shore up his premiership in a speech on Monday.

In her first public comments since Thursday's elections, Rayner called for Sir Keir to take more action to tackle inequality and "squeezed living standards".

"We are in danger of becoming a party of the well-off, not working people," she added.

"What we are doing isn't working, and it needs to change. This may be our last chance."

In her 1,000 word statement, she called for Labour to offer regional mayors more economic powers, raise the minimum wage, and be "unafraid to promote new forms of public, community and cooperative ownership across the board".

It comes after Labour lost almost 1,500 councillors in England, mainly to Reform UK and the Greens, and was kicked out of power in Wales.

Labour came joint second in Scotland, where the SNP retained control of the Parliament.

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