‘Street fighter’ Rayner on tour (and on manoeuvres?): Ex-deputy PM to marketing campaign closely for Labour throughout the UK forward of native elections anticipated to heap stress on Starmer
Angela Rayner is planning to show off her skills as a ‘political street fighter’ with a major campaign tour ahead of local elections that could weaken Sir Keir Starmer‘s grip on power.
The former deputy prime minister, who is increasingly being linked with a tilt at the top job, will spend a month supporting Labour candidates ahead of a difficult vote expected on May 7.
Supporters said she was looking to help candidates trying to win or hold on to seats at a time when the party and its leader are deeply unpopular.
But it will also be seen as a way for Ms Rayner to boost her own profile ahead of a potential leadership challenge.
One ally told the Times: ‘Being out on the doors will show Angela as she is, a political street fighter who can connect with voters.’
It comes after the Mail reported this week that Ms Rayner has cut down on her boozing to try to craft a more stateswoman like persona.
Friends say she has cut down her drinking dramatically since the start of the year, with some suggesting she has quit altogether – something her team denies.
One senior Labour figure who attended a recent event with her said she was adopting a more sober image as she tries to generate support for a potential leadership bid, which could come as soon as next month.
The former deputy prime minister, who is increasingly being linked with a tilt at the top job, will spend a month supporting Labour candidates ahead of a difficult vote expected on May 7
Supporters said she was looking to help candidates. But it will also be seen as a way for Ms Rayner to boost her own profile ahead of a potential leadership challenge on Sir Keir
The former deputy prime minister was forced to resign last September after failing to pay £40,000 in stamp duty on the luxury apartment in Hove, which is 260 miles from her Ashton–under–Lyne constituency.
Labour MPs say she is ‘on manoeuvres’ to launch a potential leadership challenge if Labour suffer a wipeout in next month’s local elections.
In a speech last month, she warned that Labour is ‘running out of time’ to show it can deliver on its manifesto promise of change. She urged ministers to adopt ‘bolder’ solutions – code for more Left–wing policies. And she urged the government to ditch plans to force recent migrants to wait longer before being entitled to benefits, branding the idea ‘un–British’.
But allies acknowledge it would be almost impossible for her to mount a leadership challenge until she has settled her affairs with the taxman.
She is said to be frustrated by the length of time an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs into the stamp duty episode is taking, but has pledged to co–operate fully and pay any fine that is levied.
The PM’s independent ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus found she had broken the ministerial code by failing to take expert tax advice at the outset, despite being advised to do so.
Ms Rayner said at the time that she took ‘full responsibility for this error’, adding: ‘It was never my intention to do anything other than pay the right amount.’
