Sir Keir Starmer has indicated that Angela Rayner could return to the frontbench, describing the former deputy prime minister as "fantastic" and "hugely talented". In an interview with Times Radio, the Prime Minister said he would like her back "at the right point", adding that she has a "future role to play" in government.
Ms Rayner resigned in September after admitting she did not pay enough stamp duty on a new flat in Hove, East Sussex, due to incorrect advice. The Ashton-under-Lyne MP said it was an "honestly-made mistake" in an emotional resignation speech to the Commons. She had served as housing secretary and deputy leader of the Labour Party.
Sir Keir praised Ms Rayner's contributions, noting her role in the party's election victory and the recently passed Employment Rights Act, which she helped shape. He previously told The Observer in December that he missed her and acknowledged that misogyny had played a part in the criticism she and Chancellor Rachel Reeves have faced.
Ms Rayner remains a popular figure within Labour and is seen as a potential successor to Sir Keir. She has expressed a desire to help the party take on Reform, signalling her hope to return to frontline politics with the comment: "And I'm still fighting. I'm not dead yet."
