Rayner 'not a victim', says minister amid discontent over reshuffle

ANGELA Rayner is “not a victim” and “any government is stronger” with her, a Cabinet minister has said after a reshuffle following her resignation saw tensions flare within Labour.

- NINA LLOYD and JORDAN REYNOLDS

Defence Secretary John Healey defended Sir Keir Starmer’s “clear, swift, fair action” following his former deputy’s admission that she mistakenly underpaid stamp duty on a seaside flat she bought earlier this year.

It comes as speculation mounts over who could replace Ms Rayner as deputy Labour leader, with Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman Dame Emily Thornberry already confirming she is considering running for the job.

Ms Rayner resigned as housing secretary, deputy leader and deputy prime minister after the Prime Minister’s ethics watchdog found she had breached the ministerial code, triggering an early government reshuffle.

Mr Healey said the new-look Cabinet meant a “good team” was now in place to deliver policy after Greater Manchester needed to change its treatment of backbenchers by showing them more “respect” following a row over the government's welfare reforms earlier this year.

“I dispute that. Our focus has been on the public that elected us, the delivery that we're charged to change their lives. It’s a big part of the job we all do,’ he told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme.

“Our government will miss Angela Rayner. She’s not been a victim. She's been under a lot of pressure and Andy Burnham’s right about that.

“But she's been an inspiration to many, particularly working-class women.”

He added: “Any government is stronger with Angela Rayner but we've got a good new team in place and that’s our job.”

The Prime Minister is seeking to draw a line under the damaging fallout from his former deputy’s breach of the ministerial code after she admitted to mistakenly underpaying a surcharge on a property in Hove in May.