Angela Rayner will “not be played like a pawn,” a source close to the former deputy prime minister has said, after claims of a mooted deal for her and Wes Streeting to run for the Labour leadership.

The source said “there is no vacancy and there is no pact”, after the Telegraph reported that allies of the Health Secretary were pressing her to sign up to a “joint ticket” for the top job.

A spokesperson for Mr Streeting described the claims as “completely untrue” and said people appeared to be “misinterpreting” his support for the ex-Cabinet minister.

The Health Secretary was last month forced to deny plotting to unseat Sir Keir Starmer 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

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