Rayner says she has been cleared by HMRC, paving the way for a potential Labour leadership challenge.By AFP and The Associated PressPublished On 14 May 202614 May 2026Former United Kingdom Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner says she has been cleared by tax authorities of deliberate wrongdoing or carelessness over her tax affairs, paving the way for a potential leadership bid as Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s grip on power unravels.Starmer, who led his Labour Party to victory in the 2024 general election, is fighting to save his job after disastrous local and regional polls last week.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listFour junior ministers have resigned, and more than 80 MPs have urged him to quit, but he has pledged to cling on.Although no one has so far launched a formal leadership challenge, UK media reported that Health Minister Wes Streeting was preparing to resign on Thursday to run for the top job.The prospect of a challenge by Rayner also grew as she announced that UK tax authorities had “cleared” her of deliberate wrongdoing in a tax affair, opening the way for her to compete in a potential leadership contest.“I have been exonerated by HMRC of the accusation that I deliberately sought to avoid tax,” Rayner said in a statement on X on Thursday. “I have always sought to act with integrity, and I believe politicians should be held to high standards – that is why I resigned from the government and cooperated fully with HMRC.”Rayner told The Guardian she was ready to “play my part” in any leadership election if Streeting were to trigger a contest.Pressure for Starmer to step aside or face a leadership challenge has intensified since the Labour Party suffered heavy losses in local and reg …
