Rayner attempting to ‘bounce’ Starmer into making her deputy PM in the event that they win election
Angela Rayner has been accused of attempting to “bounce” Sir Keir Starmer into guaranteeing she could be deputy prime minister if Labour takes energy on the subsequent basic election.
The claims come after the deputy Labour chief dismissed solutions of a change of function in a doable reshuffle.
Ms Rayner, who was elected by the celebration membership alongside Sir Keir, mentioned: “I will be the deputy prime minister.”
But a Labour insider told The Mail on Sunday: “Sounds like Angela is bouncing – or trying to bounce – Keir into giving her that formal title.”
Sir Keir is predicted to hold out a last reshuffle of his high staff earlier than the subsequent election, anticipated in late 2024.
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There has been hypothesis that Ms Rayner, his largest inside rival, might lose a few of her duties within the shadow cupboard.
She at the moment serves as shadow minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, shadow secretary of state for the way forward for work, and deputy chief of the official Opposition, alongside her function as deputy Labour chief.
The Ashton-under-Lyne MP was requested earlier this week about whether or not she might even see her tasks change in an Opposition reshuffle.
She instructed the BBC: “The important thing is that I will be the deputy prime minister and I will be the deputy leader of the Labour Party, so actually the important job is around supporting Keir as the leader.
“To me, the necessary job is stepping into Government after which delivering, and wherever that’s and nonetheless I take advantage of my expertise inside that, I’m comfortable to try this.
“It is an absolute honour and a privilege to be an MP for my constituency, and to be on the front bench, and to do the job I am doing, and to be His Majesty’s Government would be an incredible honour, and I take that seriously and would do whatever it takes to improve the lives of British people in whatever role that is.”
Sir Keir sacked Ms Rayner as celebration chair after a humiliating by-election loss in Hartlepool in 2021.
But in a botched reshuffle after dealing with a backlash he was then compelled at hand her a serious promotion.
Sources near Sir Keir final night time identified that he had already made clear that Ms Rayner could be deputy prime minister, having described her as a “fantastic and formidable woman” and a “brilliant politician”.
A spokesman for the Labour chief mentioned: “Keir’s relentless focus has taken us from the doldrums in 2019 to a government in waiting.
“Speculation over authorities roles proves how far we have include Keir’s management.
“Look at what he’s achieved in three years and you get a glimpse of how his ruthless determination to deliver for working people will give Britain its future back.”