Senior Labour figures tell Keir Starmer to stop making mistakes

Keir Starmer has been warned by senior Labour figures to stop making mistakes, before a battle over the party’s deputy leadership and amid fears the government could row back on workers’ rights.

As candidates began to jostle to replace Angela Rayner, the prime minister faced public criticism from Emily Thornberry, a potential contender, who said further mistakes from Starmer could lead to having to “hand our country to [Nigel] Farage”.

Andy Burnham also called for a “reset” and more pluralistic style, telling the Guardian that the government needed to be “listening to the heartbeat of the party”.