Rayner quit today over a breach of the ministerial code
Angela Rayner’s resignation as deputy prime minister and deputy party leader has shaken the Labour party today. While Sir Keir Starmer has just announced that David Lammy will be replacing Rayner as deputy PM, her resignation is due to also trigger an internal Labour election over the party leadership.
The senior Labour MP resigned from her role as Sir Keir Starmer’s deputy and as housing secretary earlier today (Friday, September 5), after the Government’s independent ethics adviser announced that she had breached the ministerial code by underpaying stamp duty on her seaside flat.
Resigning from her post as Labour’s deputy leader, an elected position she won following a vote of the party’s membership in 2020, her replacement will need to be decided by the party.
How might a deputy leadership election go down?
Following Sir Keir and Ms Rayner’s victory as leaders of the Labour party in 2021, the party’s internal leadership elections process was changed. This was due to dissatisfaction amongst many within the party regarding the previous process, which resulted in Mr Corbyn’s election as leader.
Under the current regulations, candidates must secure nomination to stand from 20 per cent of their fellow Labour MPs. This would then be followed by nomination from 5 per cent of local Labour party branches, known as Constituency Labour Parties or CLPs, alongside three affiliates of the party, at least two of which must be trade unions.
After receiving these nominations, Labour members and affiliates are able to vote on a ballot. Voters will mark the ballot in order of preference for their favoured candidate to succeed Ms Rayner. Details of when and how the deputy leadership election will take place have not yet been announced.
Who could be in line to replace Ms Rayner as deputy party leader?
While Sir Keir has made David Lammy deputy Prime Minister, this does not mean he would have to stand to be deputy party leader.
No candidate has thrown their hat in the ring at the time of writing, but there is speculation within the party that a more left-leaning candidate would ultimately be favoured for the position by voters – or ‘the most left-leaning candidate to make it on the ballot’, according to the BBC’s chief political correspondent.
Labour MP Richard Burgon, who is on the left of the party, stated that the membership deserved a “proper election” to replace Ms Rayner, and not a “stitch-up”.
Posting on social media site X, he said: “A vital role of the deputy leader is to be a strong voice for ordinary Labour members. Right now, members are desperate to see a bold shift in direction – one that can help prevent Nigel Farage from ending up in Downing Street.”
He added: “Labour members deserve a democratic Labour Party that treats them with respect. So there must now be a proper election for deputy leader, fully in line with the party’s rulebook – and not a leadership stitch-up.”
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