Top Tory Esther McVey tells the Daily Expresso she believes the former deputy Labour leader has made a pact with a Starmer rival.
Angela Rayner is already plotting her comeback to frontline politics amid talk of a “pact” with Labour’s would-be leader, Andy Burnham, a Tory MP believes. The former Labour deputy leader may be hatching a secret plot with the Mayor of Greater Manchester, the MP said, with a suggestion Ms Rayner could take the reins in Greater Manchester, leaving Mr Burnham free to campaign for a seat in Parliament and challenge Sir Keir Starmer at the top of Labour.
The bombshell claim was made by top Tory MP, Esther McVey, in the latest episode of the Express’s politics podcast, The Daily Expresso. Ms McVey was discussing threats to Sir Keir’s position, as well as to her own party’s leader, Kemi Badenoch, with podcast host JJ Anisiobi. Ms McVey said: “Angela Rayner is plotting her comeback already. First of all, there was a pact with Andy Burnham. Was she going to become the Mayor of Greater Manchester as he went for the leader of the party?”
Esther McVey on The Daily Expresso podcast (Image: Daily Express)
Ms Rayner resigned from her frontbench roles in early September, after it emerged she had failed to pay enough tax on her £800,00 flat in Hove.
The PM had hoped to reset his embattled Government following the summer recess, but days into the current session of Parliament there were rumblings of manoeuvres by Mr Burnham amid dire polling for Labour and personal ratings for Sir Keir which have gone through the floor.
Ms McVey went on to identify a further threat to Sir Keir’s shaky position, in the shape of Labour deputy leadership election candidate Lucy Powell, who wants “to be the anti-Starmer”.
Ms Powell was sacked from Sir Keir’s Cabinet in the reshuffle prompted by Ms Rayner’s resignation as deputy leader and housing secretary for failing to pay enough tax on her £800,000 flat in Hove.
On Wednesday, Ms Powell said Labour was in the fight of its life and needed to start listening to broader voices or risk “group-think” setting in.
Five of Sir Keir’s own Cabinet say they have the 20% support needed to trigger a challenge on the PM’s position as party leader as well, according to Ms McVey.
In a wide-ranging discussion after the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Ms McVey dismissed talk Mrs Badenoch’s own position at the helm of the Tories is still under threat, including from shadow justice secretary, Robert Jenrick.
Angela Rayner resigned from her frontbench roles in September (Image: Getty)
The Tatton MP, who has held senior roles in government including Work and Pensions Secretary, told The Daily Expresso: “[Kemi Badenoch] has supporters behind her.”
Ms McVey suggested threats to Mrs Badenoch’s position have “disappeared” after her performance in Manchester this week, in part because of the Tory leader’s revival of Conservative values and because the numbers don’t stack up. Under party rules, a vote of no confidence now requires a third of MPs to submit letters to the 1922 Committee.
The former journalist and broadcaster acknowledged the Conservatives still need to win over the trust of the public, but Mrs Badenoch has put the party back on track, including “spot on” pledges to exit the European Convention on Human Rights and to abandon “net zero zealotry”.
Ms McVey said Mrs Badenoch managed to “stave off” a potential rebellion from One Nation Conservatives who she said were agitating against her over the Tories‘ plan to quit the ECHR.
Asked about Mr Jenrick, Ms McVey praised his ability to use the media to connect with Brits and said more shadow cabinet should follow his lead.
The shadow justice secretary this week defended comments made about an area of Birmingham, where Mr Jenrick told a Conservative association dinner in March that he “didn’t see another white face” during a visit.
His remarks led critics to accuse him of being divisive and Sir Keir of claiming it was clear Mr Jenrick was “engaging in a leadership campaign”.
Ms McVey defended her colleague, telling The Daily Expresso there was no need to restrict Mr Jenrick on Mrs Badenoch’s part. She said: “Don’t stop a member of your team that’s brilliant. You say, ‘All of you [in the shadow cabinet], raise your game to be as good as that’.”
She praised shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride and shadow home secretary Chris Philp for already doing so, adding: “Never hold anybody back. We’re Conservatives. We say, ‘Reach for the stars’.”
