How Rayner, Streeting and Burnham weakened PM in 12 hours of political drama

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. How Rayner, Streeting and Burnham weakened PM in 12 hours of political drama10 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleJoe PikePolitics investigations correspondentPA Media and ReutersNo leadership contest has been launched, but some Labour politicians look to have been making moves towards the top spotOn Wednesday, as Sir Keir Starmer stood in the House of Lords and watched the King read out the government's plan for the coming year, the prime minister's three biggest rivals within Labour were preparing their next moves. Andy Burnham spent much of the day attempting to persuade MP Josh Simons, once a staunch ally of Sir Keir, to sacrifice his parliamentary career to help save Labour. Wes Streeting was in Parliament with his closest advisers mulling whether he should quit the cabinet job as health secretary that he had coveted for years.

And that afternoon Angela Rayner slipped into a London hotel suite to secretly pre-record a TV interview about resolving her tax affairs with HMRC. The following day, across 12 hours of political drama that weakened the prime minister, all three sprung into action. Rayner's returnThe all-important email from HMRC had landed in the inbox of Rayner's tax lawyer Graham Aaronson on Tuesday afternoon.

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Relief was the main emotion among the former deputy prime minister's team, "as well as vindication", said an ally. "The key point was she'd been cleared of either tax dodging or being careless", they added . Rayner did, however, settle £40,000 in unpaid stamp duty.

The timing of HMRC's decision was unexpected but potentially perfect for Rayner. It arrived just as MPs were split on Starmer's future and a leadership contest looked possible. But Rayner, who had developed a surprisingly warm rapport with the King, did not want to overshadow his speech or undermine the announcement of new legislation she had helped with while a minister.

She did, however, want to make an impact. Her team decided it was best to do two interviews - one newspaper, one television - and wait until the next morning to publish them. Soon after the monarch had changed out of his Imperial State Crown and robes, and returned to Buckingham Palace via carriage, Rayner met the Guardian journalist Pippa Crerar in central London.

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She then sat down with ITV's Paul Brand in a hotel suite nearby. Both interviews dropped at 06:00 on Thursday morning. "It was timed to make sure we got it out, and it had a fair wave of attention before other dramas kicked off", said an ally.

Rayner had not warned the prime minister. What next for Starmer? Five scenarios in Labour leadership crisisThe potential challengers to Keir StarmerAndy Burnham: 'King of the North' with eyes on the top jobStreeting resignsAs Westminster rushed to read and watch Rayner's interviews, Streeting had still not decided whether he was staying or going.

"He didn't begin the week planning to resign", said a colleague. But his departure had become more inevitable with each passing day.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.