Angela Rayner has issued a sobering assessment of Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government after the party’s historic defeat at the local elections, as she called on the PM to make a change in direction.

Amid speculation she is one of the candidates to replace Sir Keir, who is facing a threat of a leadership challenge from one of his own MPs, Ms Rayner put out a statement in which she attacks the progress of the party.

Ms Rayner, who resigned as deputy prime minister last year , said the party now faced “may be our last chance” to change ahead of Sir Keir’s expected speech on Monday.

She also called the blocking of Andy Burnham to be a Labour candiate at the Gorton and Denton by-election a “mistake”.

Angela Rayner has issued a statement attacking the progress made by Labour under Sir Keir Starmer (PA)

Here is her statement in full:

Our party has suffered a historic defeat. Many good Labour colleagues have lost their seats despite working hard for those they represented.…