How Labour could harness the power of an 'odd couple'

As rumours swirl of growing tensions between the prime minister and his deputy, Zoe Beaty takes a look at why their differences could also turn out to be their greatest strength

- Zoe Beaty

The election might be over, but there's one struggle for power that isn't going anywhere fast. As Labour stretches its legs in its first few weeks in office, Keir Starmer and his deputy, Angela Rayner, are a united front making a raft of announcements for the party’s new start. Outwardly, they’ve been a confident duo during a highly pressured couple of weeks. Peek just behind the curtain, however, and there are hints of a different story unfolding.

Last weekend, reports began to suggest that Rayner is already being “frozen out” of key party decisions, with “tensions bubbling under the surface”. She’s being “unfairly stripped of responsibilities” behind the scenes, according to speculation, and her authority is being undermined, after a flagship policy she has spearheaded – the new deal for working people – was handed to business secretary Jonathan Reynolds.

As these reports appeared, many put them down to mischiefmaking by those in the Tory camp who know that Rayner is a valuable asset for the Reform-leaning red wall. But equally, anyone who is close to the inner workings of Labour will know that Starmer can be prone to paranoia, and his inner circle of trust is kept very tight.

So, is Starmer keeping his popular deputy at a safe distance? While it is early days for the new prime minister’s team – who, most agree, have hit the ground running – the idea is not beyond the realms of possibility. Starmer and Rayner’s bumpy history is now under the ultimate spotlight, and lurking just out of view is Rachel Reeves, the first female chancellor, whose close relationship with Starmer adds a layer of complexity to the entire set-up.

Reeves certainly makes more sense as a trusted co-pilot – Starmer’s stoic and measured demeanour appears to complement the character of Reeves, who was once (somewhat unfairly) called “boring snoring” by Ian Katz following an appearance on Newsnight. She herself admitted to The