Angela Rayner "would rather stick pins in her eyes" than back Wes Streeting for the Labour leadership, it has been claimed. It had been reported that allies of the Health Secretary were urging the former deputy prime minister to sign up to a "joint ticket" for the top job amid ongoing speculation over Sir Keir Starmer's future.

But now a source close to Ms Rayner has dashed hopes of a mooted deal between the pair. They told The Times's The State of It podcast: "Angela's position is that she would rather stick pins in her eyes than endorse Wes."

Mr Streeting had previously branded claims of a pact between him and Ms Rayner as "completely untrue".

A spokesman said last week: "This is a silly season story and completely untrue.

"Wes's entire focus is on getting the NHS through this winter, and the only deal he's interested in doing is with the resident doctors to avert strikes.

"People appear to be getting carried away and misinterpreting his support for Angela as something other than supporting a good person going through a difficult time."

Meanwhile, a source close to Ms Rayner had insisted she would not be "played like a pawn".

The Health Secretary was last month forced to deny plotting to unseat the Prime Minister and criticised a "toxic" culture in Downing Street after anonymous briefings against him.

It was reported that the attacks on Mr Streeting were a ploy to warn off potential leadership contenders, although the Prime Minister has said he was assured they did not emanate from No 10.

It comes amid growing speculations over Sir Keir's future amid Labour's plummeting poll ratings.

Ms Rayner quit as deputy prime minister, housing secretary and deputy Labour leader in September after an independent ethics probe found she had breached the ministerial code over her underpayment of stamp duty on a seaside flat.