Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has declared that Angela Rayner should repay thousands of pounds in 'avoided' tax if the former deputy prime minister is to make a comeback to Sir Keir Starmer's Cabinet.
The fiery exchange occurred during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, where Badenoch alleged the Prime Minister is considering reinstating Ms Rayner because he is 'desperate to shore up his crumbling leadership'.
PMQs Clash Over Rayner's Return
Challenging Sir Keir directly in the Commons, Mrs Badenoch stated: 'We've read this weekend that he wants the former deputy prime minister back in his Cabinet. He must have forgotten that she had to resign only a few months ago for tax evasion.'
She pointedly asked the Prime Minister: 'When did the Prime Minister decide that lawbreakers can be lawmakers?'
Sir Keir Starmer swiftly dismissed the attack, expressing his pride in Ms Rayner and redirecting focus to his government's achievements. 'While she's scrolling through Twitter, we've delivered – rail fares are frozen, prescription charges frozen, the minimum wage? Boosted,' he retorted.
Demands for Tax Repayment and Severance Return
Undeterred, Mrs Badenoch pressed further on the financial specifics, stating it was not mere 'tittle-tattle'. She demanded to know if the Prime Minister would set conditions for Rayner's potential return, including repaying £40,000 of property taxes she allegedly avoided.
Mrs Badenoch also questioned whether Ms Rayner would return her £17,000 of severance pay, highlighting what she characterised as a contradiction between Labour's tax policies for the public and their personal conduct.
In his defence of his former deputy, Sir Keir celebrated Ms Rayner as 'the biggest social mobility story this country has ever told', praising her journey from humble beginnings to the top of politics.
Budget Leaks and Internal Briefings
The session also saw Mrs Badenoch criticise the Prime Minister over leaks concerning Chancellor Rachel Reeves' upcoming Budget statement. She accused him of not appreciating the impact of these leaks on the UK economy and called for a serious investigation.
In a sarcastic remark, she claimed: 'What he did was he asked Morgan McSweeney to investigate Morgan McSweeney and then Morgan McSweeney discovered that Morgan McSweeney was innocent.'
Mrs Badenoch further alleged that Number 10 advisers were briefing against Health Secretary Wes Streeting and other senior ministers, claims which the Prime Minister firmly denied, insisting that no one in Number 10 had briefed against Cabinet ministers.
