Streeting and Reeves will lead the pack if he goes

WES Streeting and Rachel Reeves are the leading contenders to replace Sir Keir if he quits as Labour leader, according to bookmakers.

Shadow Chancellor Miss Reeves and health spokesman Mr Streeting have been accused of quietly tapping up donors and drumming up support for a potential tilt at the top job.

She has declared nearly £200,000 in donations on her register of interests in the past year, while Mr Streeting has brought in £16 ,000, according to analysis by the Mail on Sunday. Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, levelling up spokesman Lisa Nandy and education spokesman Bridget Phillipson are also seen as contenders, according to Ladbrokes.

Mr Streeting, Mrs Phillipson and Miss Reeves are to the Right of the party and were staunch opponents of former leader Jeremy Corbyn. Miss Nandy and Miss Reeves are considered soft-Left but both resigned from the Shadow Cabinet in June 2016 in protest at Mr Corbyn’s leadership.

Westminster watchers also expect a hard-Left candidate – such as Richard Burgon or Zarah Sultana – to run. Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham was a favourite to take over – but he would need to be hastily elected as an MP to stand.

The party’s deputy leader Angela Rayner, who was present at the curry gathering on April 30 last year, is also seen as a potential successor. But she yesterday vowed to ‘do the decent thing and step down’ if she was issued with a fine. Labour has never had an elected woman leader, so the party will be under pressure to select one.

A leadership contest would be triggered automatically if Sir Keir goes, with candidates needing to be nominated by 20 per cent of Labour MPs and at least 5 per cent of constituency parties or at least three affiliates – including two trade unions. Party members and affiliated trade union supporters are able to vote in the contest, using the alternative vote system.