Sir Keir Starmer’s allies have sounded a General Election alarm as Labour rebels throw their support behind ex-Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.

A Labour figure told The Telegraph: “Presumably Angela Rayner, if she got elected, would have a completely different agenda.

“If you come in with a completely different agenda then the country legitimately says, ‘We didn’t vote for this’.

“And so what are the grounds for refusing a general election?

“You can claim constitutional grounds, but in the world of frenzied media, of TikTok, YouTube and GB News, is it really sustainable? It doesn’t feel sustainable to me.”

A Cabinet Minister added: “The pressure for an election would be enormous.”

Ms Rayner, who faces a hurdle over her taxes if she is to mount a challenge to Sir Keir, herself criticised Rishi Sunak for not calling a snap general election.

After the ex-Chancellor replaced Liz Truss in No10 in October 2022, Ms Rayner said: “The Tories have crowned Rishi Sunak without him saying a word about what he would do as PM.

“He has no mandate, no answers and no ideas. Nobody voted for this. The public deserve their say on Britain’s future through a General Election. It’s time for a fresh start with Labour.”