Angela Rayner was privately offered a return to Sir Keir Starmer's Cabinet in a final roll of the dice to stave off a potential leadership challenge, insiders have claimed.
The Prime Minister discussed Ms Rayner's potential return to the Labour frontbench earlier this month in an apparent attempt to head off a leadership coup.
Sir Keir faces a premiership-defining moment next Thursday, with Labour sources fearing potential leadership pacts between Ms Rayner, Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting and Ed Miliband.
Ms Rayner discussed her political future with Sir Keir during a visit to a school in Greater Manchester on April 14.
Mr Burnham, who is harbouring ambitions of a return to Westminster, was also present in the conversation.
However, the ex-Deputy Prime Minister is believed to be uncertain about returning to the Cabinet after expressing concerns about the current crisis engulfing No10.
It is understood that Ms Rayner is hopeful that an HMRC investigation into her tax affairs will be closed as soon as this week.
Sir Keir managed to face down a leadership scare last night after 15 Labour MPs rebelled on a vote to investigate him over Lord Mandelson's appointment as the UK's Ambassador to the US.
The vote would have referred him to the privileges committee, the powerful Commons ethics body that forced the resignation of Boris Johnson.
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'Even the Tories didn't do that!' Steve Reed grilled after Downing Street commands MPs to back Keir StarmerÂ
A senior Labour minister has been grilled on GB News after Downing Street commanded its MPs to vote against an inquiry into Sir Keir Starmer.
Party leaders installed a three-line whip on the vote - and defying such an order could lead to a suspension or permanent ousting from the party.
However, when the Conservatives held such a vote into Boris Johnson's lockdown parties, party chiefs declared it a free vote.
"Well, it's perfectly normal for votes in Parliament to be whipped. Pretty much every vote is whipped," Steve Reed started.
But GB News host Alex Armstrong was quick to intervene, saying: "Sorry to interrupt you, sir, but even even in the papers today, Labour MPs saying even the Tories didn't pull a stunt like this to bail out Boris Johnson. They had a free vote."
Group of rebel MPs hold breath for party punishment after voting against Keir Starmer in crunch sleaze vote
A group of rebel MPs are facing punishment from the Labour Party after they voted to launch an inquiry into Sir Keir Starmer over claims he misled Parliament over Peter Mandelson's vetting process.
Downing Street commanded MPs to vote down the Conservative motion to refer the Prime Minister to the Privileges Committee - the very same ethics watchdog that led to the downfall of Boris Johnson back in 2023.
But 15 rebels defied the order - and voted in favour of such an investigation into their leader.
Sir Keir won the hard-fought battle with 335 votes to 223 yesterday evening.
RECAP: Read Angela Rayner's resignation letter after disgraced ex-Deputy PM stepped down over tax scandal
Angela Rayner resigned as Deputy Prime Minister last September
|ANGELA RAYNER