UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Former deputy PM Angela Rayner’s allies dismiss claims she seeks Labour leadership, stressing she remains focused on her Ashton-under-Lyne constituency work.
As reported by The Independent, ex-housing secretary Angela Rayner’s team has rejected “false” claims that she is plotting a Labour leadership bid, with Angela Rayner saying she has “not gone away.”
What did Angela Rayner’s allies say about leadership rumours?
A source close to Angela Rayner said she is “focused on serving her local constituency,” rejecting claims she intends to oust the prime minister as “silly games.”
This follows a Telegraph report that Ms Rayner was planning a Labour leadership bid, amid a week of briefing disputes over Sir Keir Starmer’s future.
An insider close to Ms Rayner added,
“This is total rubbish and obviously false. Amidst all the stirring and silly games, Angela is focussed on representing her local community and ensuring that the priorities she championed in government are delivered in full.”
What did Angela Rayner say about Labour tittle-tattle and real challenges?
In her first interview since resigning, Angela Rayner said Labour MPs should ignore Westminster “tittle-tattle” and focus on the “real challenges” facing ordinary people.
From her Ashton-under-Lyne constituency, she pledged to “keep fighting” for ordinary people.
When questioned about a possible return to frontline politics, she said she “has not gone away, adding,
“I’m really humbled and I always have been, the people of Ashton-under-Lyne have always supported me.”
Ms Rayner said,
“The 10 years that I’ve been in government I’ve had quite a number of front bench positions, and I’ve always brought it back to the people that I was there to represent and having this opportunity now, to be more in the constituency and to champion those views is something that I’m humbled to do and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Her interview comes after a week of intense political infighting in Westminster, including anonymous briefings and speculation that Health Secretary Wes Streeting is considering a challenge to Mr Starmer.
She described the political row as “arrogant” and urged MPs to focus on serving their local communities.
The former housing secretary said,
“I think Wes has clearly set out his stall after what was clearly a very turbulent couple of days. And I think being around here for the last hour just shows you actually that that tittle tattle in Westminster – it almost looks arrogant when you’ve got real challenges that real people are facing and that’s what we really need to be focusing on.”
Referring to initiatives such as free breakfast clubs and bringing down NHS waiting lists, Ms Rayner added,
“These are good material things that are going to make a difference, we can’t be drowning that out with tittle tattle in Westminster. We’ve got to be focused on the people we’re there to represent.”
She added that the party “should always be together,” saying,
“I’ve always been of that nature and the way in which I’ve worked within our movement is, our movement has many different views and we should always look to bind ourselves within that.”
What did Keir Starmer say about the chief of staff amid the briefing row?
The Prime Minister faces pressure within the party to sack Number 10 chief of staff Morgan McSweeney after the briefing row, but he confirmed his support after being assured no briefings against ministers came from Downing Street.
The Labour leader pledged to “absolutely deal with anybody” responsible for the briefing war at the top of the Labour Government.
Earlier this week, the prime minister said,
“First let me be clear that any briefing against ministers is completely unacceptable. That is not a new position for me, it is a position I have adopted ever since I became Prime Minister. I have made it very clear to my team.”
He stated,
“I have been talking to my team today. I have been assured that no briefing against ministers was done from No 10 but I have made it clear that I find it absolutely unacceptable.”
Mr Starmer continued,
“I have been assured it didn’t come from Downing Street but I have been equally clear that whether it is this case or any other, I intend to deal with it.”
Pressed on whether he would dismiss those responsible, the prime minister replied,
“I will absolutely deal with anybody responsible for briefing against ministers, Cabinet ministers or any other ministers. I have always said that is the standard that I expect, and that is the standard that I will enforce.”
Wes Streeting said he was unaware and “didn’t care” about whether the Prime Minister was looking into the briefing issue.
He stated,
“That’s yesterday’s news and it’s Westminster bubble stuff that doesn’t mean anything to anyone. I don’t think voters give two monkeys about what on earth is going on in the sort of Westminster village soap opera. What they do care about is, if they’re on an NHS waiting list, are we getting them down?”
What led to Angela Rayner’s resignation over tax affairs?
Angela Rayner stepped down as deputy prime minister, housing secretary, and deputy Labour leader after admitting underpayment of stamp duty on a Hove property.
An independent ethics probe found Ms Rayner breached the ministerial code over underpaid stamp duty on a seaside flat.
Ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus said Ms Rayner “acted with integrity” but ignored legal advice on the correct surcharge.
In last month’s Commons statement, she described the ordeal as “incredibly tough” on her family.
Ms Rayner said,
“All of us in public life know all too well the toll of the intense scrutiny we face places on our loved ones. But I’ve always believed in the highest standards of transparency and accountability, and it is what the public expects and it is the price we pay for the privilege of service.”
The ex-deputy Labour leader added,
“That’s why I referred myself to the independent adviser and gave them access to all of the information he needed. As I set out then, parents of a disabled child with a trust who divorce and seek different properties face a complex tax position.”
She continued,
“If there is one good thing that can come out of this, I hope that other families in this situation may be aware of that, and avoid getting into the position that I am now in.”
Which Labour figure resigned after Angela Rayner?
Peter Mandelson was fired as the UK Ambassador to the United States by Prime Minister Keir Starmer following revelations about his deep ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including emails showing their close relationship.
His dismissal came shortly after Angela Rayner resigned over a property tax payment issue, marking a difficult period for Keir Starmer’s leadership.
