Angela Rayner SIDELINED as Starmer promotes new right hand woman - 'Definitely pushing her more'
Angela Rayner has been sidelined as Sir Keir Starmer looks set to promote his new right-hand woman.
PA
Labour insiders have admitted Angela Rayner is being sidelined by Sir Keir Starmer as he looks to promote a new woman to be by his side.
The party leader is thought to instead be bringing Rachel Reeves to the forefront as he attempts to promote the Labour Party as an economically responsible alternative to the Conservative Party.
Reeves has consistently appeared to be pushed into the spotlight in recent months, even introducing Starmer at his first speech of 2023.
Starmer has distanced himself from Rayner in recent months.
Stefan Rousseau
The move prompted some to interpret the decision as an attempt by Starmer to slowly bring her into the frame as an integral part of Labour.
The shadow chancellor worked as an official at the Bank of England prior to turning to politics.
Speaking to i, a source close to Starmer said: "A former Bank of England economist and savvy politician, Rachel has been instrumental in Labour regaining economic credibility and becoming the party of sound finance.
"Keir wants the country to get to know the person who we hope will be the UK’s first female chancellor.”
By comparison, Starmer has spent the last year distancing himself from Rayner.
In September 2021, she used a reception at the Labour Party conference to call the Tories “scum”.
Labour insiders have said that Starmer is pushing Reeves into the limelight.
Stefan Rousseau
She was later forced to apologise for the remark and said she would “continue to speak my mind, stand up for Labour values and hold the Government to account.
“But in the future I will be more careful about how I do that and in the language that I choose.”
Elsewhere, Starmer appeared to blindside Rayner by launching a reshuffle of his frontbench while she gave a speech on plans for reforming standards in public life in November.
Another shadow minister joked to i, that Reeves and Starmer “have been superglued together,” while an insider said: “They are definitely pushing Rachel more”.
Labour have been approached for comment.