Why Angela Rayner's resignation has a very important silver lining for Labour
The major Cabinet reshuffle prompted by Angela Rayner’s resignation could have a revitalising effect on the government and, with Nigel Farage already preparing for life in No 10, it needs to
Nigel Farage was so excited by the resignation of Angela Rayner as Deputy Prime Minister that he decided to bring forward both his speech to the Reform UK party conference and his estimated time of arrival in 10 Downing Street.
Saying the UK Government was now "deep in crisis", Farage told the new party’s faithful to prepare for an election in just two years’ time and that he was setting up a new unit to prepare for government “so that when we win, we can hit the ground running”. On becoming Prime Minister, he said he would “stop the boats” within a fortnight.
This is what political momentum looks like. Meanwhile, Keir Starmer responded to the loss of his deputy by launching a reshuffle designed to wrestle back that momentum, with David Lammy appointed in Rayner’s place, Yvette Cooper becoming Foreign Secretary and Shabana Mahmood replacing her as Home Secretary.
A bad mistake
However, the decision to send Scottish Secretary Ian Murray to the backbenches was a strange one, given his popularity and ability to reach across the party divides. Murray may find himself thinking “Angela messes up over tax, so I get sacked?”
As for Rayner’s offence, she paid the property tax due for owning a single home, which she was twice advised in writing was the correct rate. However on both occasions it was suggested that she should seek more expert advice. The problem was that, while she only owned one house, a trust in her son’s name owned another and this counted as two under the legislation.
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Particularly as she was Housing Secretary, it was a bad mistake, but it feels like a genuine one, rather than anything sinister. Indeed, in his letter to Starmer in which he concluded Rayner had breached the ministerial code, the government’s independent ethic adviser Laurie Magnus said she had “acted with integrity”.
In the end, the reshuffle prompted by the affair could be a good thing for Labour. More than a year into Starmer’s government, things have not been going well and refreshing the Cabinet may have a revitalising effect. If not, the prospect of Prime Minister Farage will move even closer to reality.
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