Sir Keir Starmer has publicly declared his desire to see former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner return to the Cabinet, despite her recent political setbacks and a vicious internal party conflict.
A Friendship Tested by Scandal
The Prime Minister, speaking at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, confirmed that he remains close friends with Ms Rayner, whom he affectionately calls 'Angie'. He revealed that the pair still talk frequently, stating, "I'm friends with Angie and I like Angie a lot and we talk a lot. We still do."
When pressed on whether he missed his former deputy and if a Cabinet return was possible before the next General Election, Sir Keir was unequivocal. "It's always good to have Angela. I've always said I want Angela back," he told journalists. "Even back in September at the time [she quit], I said she is going to be a big voice in the Labour movement."
This endorsement comes after Ms Rayner's resignation as Housing Secretary following a controversy over her failure to pay an estimated £40,000 in stamp duty on her £800,000 new home.
Internal Strife and Leadership Challenges
The Prime Minister's backing for his former deputy is particularly significant given that Ms Rayner has long been viewed as a potential leadership rival. His comments follow a period of intense internal Labour briefing wars that have raised serious questions about his own political future.
A recent poll of Labour members by Survation for LabourList confirmed the precariousness of Sir Keir's position. The survey found that Andy Burnham, Ed Miliband, Ms Rayner, and Wes Streeting would all defeat him in a head-to-head leadership contest.
Ms Rayner herself has refused to rule out a comeback to front-line politics, telling journalists last week that she had "not gone away." She is also rumoured to be writing her autobiography, a move often seen as a prelude to a leadership bid.
New Controversy Emerges
As Sir Keir expressed his support, a new controversy surfaced regarding Ms Rayner's use of expenses. It emerged that she had a £2,500 super-king bed purchased for her grace-and-favour home at Admiralty House at the taxpayers' expense.
The Sun revealed that she ordered a Premier Inn luxury divan with added features while living in the property courtesy of the public purse.
Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake was quick to criticise, stating, "Spending nearly £3,000 of taxpayers' money on a bed is hardly consistent with her image as a woman of the people. She now needs to explain why taxpayers are expected to bankroll premium choices while many of the people who voted Labour are tightening their belts."
However, a Cabinet Office spokesman defended Ms Rayner, clarifying that the bed was not replaced at her behest, and she had no influence over the choice. Sources also stressed that she brought her own bed when she moved into the flat and used it in her own room.
Despite the ongoing controversies, Sir Keir Starmer praised Ms Rayner as "the best example ever in the United Kingdom of social mobility - going from a pretty challenging childhood to being Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. She is the story of social mobility above all other stories."
