Angela Rayner issued an ultimatum to her running mate Rebecca Long Bailey to get rid of Jeremy Corbyn’s top advisers if the pair win the Labour leadership contest, The Telegraph understands.

As hostility continues to mount towards Karie Murphy and Seumas Milne, the Labour leader’s two closest aides, party insiders claim Ms Rayner has made their removal a condition of her support.

According to a well-placed source, Ms Rayner, who is the front-runner to become deputy leader, has said “they’ve got to go” in order to make way for a new leadership team under Ms Long Bailey.

An ally of the shadow education secretary added that several MPs supporting the pair’s leadership bids had sought clarity as to whether they would allow the two controversial aides to remain in post.

Ms Long Bailey is said to be in agreement, with her team recognising that “significant changes” need to be made to how the leader’s office operates.

It came as Ms Long Bailey’s moderate rival Jess Phillips on Friday confirmed that she would also seek to remove Ms Murphy and Mr Milne in order to help Labour “turn the page”.

Today, the current favourite Sir Keir Starmer will promise to “retain” Labour’s radical agenda, as he formally launches his candidacy during a speech in Manchester.