Angela Rayner made her return to Government today(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Angela Rayner has made a triumphant return to Goverment as she joined Andy Burnham’s top team for his first Cabinet meeting.
Once dubbed Labour’s Red Queen, the former Deputy Prime Minister was brought back as Housing Secretary in one of the new leader’s first acts. Ms Rayner, a popular figure on the party’s left, has previously been hailed for pushing through groundbreaking reforms for renters in her last stint on the frontbench.
She was tipped as a leadership contender earlier this year before falling in behind Mr Burnham as Keir Starmer’s grip on power weakened. The Ashton-under-Lyne MP said she was returning to the top table with “renewed drive and determination”.
On Tuesday she attended Andy Burnham’s first Cabinet as Prime Minister.
Angela Rayner has returned to Cabinet(Image: Getty Images)
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Her return comes 10 months after her resignation from the same role in Mr Starmer’s Cabinet – as well as her jobs as Labour’s deputy leader and deputy prime minister – over her tax affairs. She has since been cleared of any wrongdoing by HMRC.
A self-described socialist, Ms Rayner championed Labour’s workers rights package in her previous cabinet role. She said following her appointment: “Andy Burnham’s vision of good growth in every postcode demands we build on the foundations we have already laid to bring the change we have promised. I look forward to returning to government with renewed drive and determination to put power back in people’s hands – and hope back in our hearts.”
Ms Rayner was appointed Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary following the general election and championed the landmark Employment Rights Act.
In her time on the backbenches, she has spoken out against Shabana Mahmood’s controversial immigration reforms, branding them “un-British”.
Referring to proposals to double the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) even for people already in the country, Ms Rayner said in March: “We cannot talk about earning a settlement if we keep moving the goalposts. Because moving the goalposts undermines our sense of fair play. It’s un-British.”
But she will have to fall in line after returning to government, with Cabinet members required to take collective responsibility for decisions. She was not afraid to butt heads with Mr Burnham’s predecessor, having warned against appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US in 2024.
She was forced to quit after it emerged she had underpaid stamp duty by £40,000 after purchasing a flat in Hove. An investigation by HM Revenues and Customs cleared her of wrongdoing.
Miatta Fahnbulleh is among the Cabinet newcomers(Image: Getty Images)
Ms Rayner’s return comes as new Education Secretary Lucy Powell was the first to walk through the door, less than 24 hours after an overhaul which saw many of Keir Starmer’s allies dispatched to the backbenches. New Chancellor John Healey took his seat back at the top table, just weeks after he dramatically quit as Defence Secretary. In an extraordinary attack on his predecessor Rachel Reeves and Mr Starmer, he accused the Treasury of failing to provide the funds needed to defend the nation. He is now in charge of that department, while Wes Streeting – who also quit last month in protest over Mr Starmer ‘s leadership- takes on his old job.
Ed Miliband attended as Foreign Secretary for the first time, while Shabana Mahmood remains in post as Home Secretary, a week after setting out sweeping changes to the asylum system. In a wave of changes announced late yesterday, Yvette Cooper – who has previously led the Home Office and the Foreign Office – was shifted to Health Secretary.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Louise Haigh and Education Secretary Lucy Powell are among those returning to the Cabinet. New faces include Mr Burnham’s allies Anneliese Midgley and Energy Security Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh.
The Prime Minister, who took office on Monday, pledged to set out the biggest changes the UK has seen in 40 years. In a speech outside No10, he said: “Let us make this the moment when Britain starts to believe again, the moment we bring back hope..”
Those remaining in the same jobs as before include Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Pat McFadden, who continues to lead the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant arriving in Downing Street(Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
But this was the first Cabinet meeting since Labour came to power that did not include Rachel Reeves, David Lammy, Peter Kyle or Liz Kendall. They were removed in one of Mr Burnham’s first acts as Prime Minister, along with Starmer allies Steve Reed and Lord Richard Hermer.
On his first day, Mr Burnham said he would be seeking to tackle rough sleeping, stating in his first speech: “I will soon go through that door behind me and issue my first instruction to end rough sleeping in our country. It’s about putting the right values and the right standards at the heart of government.”
And early on Tuesday morning the government announced an £850million tax cut on energy bills to help ease the cost-of-living crisis. From October 1, energy bills will be VAT free, saving households around £45.
New Chancellor John Healey walks down Downing Street(Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
The government said move will be funded in part by scrapping Mr Starmer’s digital ID project, which had been estimated to cost around £600 million-a-year over three years.
The Prime Minister said: “I said I wanted to give people breathing space, and that’s what I’m announcing on my second day as Prime Minister. We’re taking immediate action to cut taxes on energy bills, put more money in people’s pockets and bring back hope.”
And Mr Healey said: “For too long, too many people have struggled with the cost of living. Today’s energy tax cut will give families some breathing room on bills, and provide some reassurance this winter.
“This measure is funded this year from cancelling the digital ID programme, and it will help bring down inflation while supporting households in every postcode.”