News about Angela Rayner

Whitehall sources said Angela Rayner (left) is poised to slash discounts for council house tenants looking to buy their home, despite benefiting from the scheme herself. And ministers opened the door to a fresh raid on the better off by refusing to say whether those earning more than £100,000 are covered by Labour's pledge to avoid tax rises on 'working people' in next week's Budget. Before entering Parliament, Ms Rayner made use of Margaret Thatcher's flagship Right to Buy scheme to purchase her council house in Stockport at a discount. She sold it eight years later at a profit of £48,000.

Angela Rayner's workers' rights bonanza will cost businesses up to £5 billion a year, the Government has admitted. The Deputy Prime Minister insisted her reforms were 'pro-business' and 'pro-growth', and herald a 'new era for working people'. But she faced a backlash from Conservatives in the Commons after official impact assessments laid bare the staggering cost of more than 70 new measures aimed at improving conditions for employees and boosting trade union power. Tory business spokesman Kevin Hollinrake (right), who co-founded an estate agents in 1992, said: 'The question I ask myself now is when this legislation is in place, would I start that small business again today? Sadly, the answer would probably be no, certainly not one that employed any people

I have a recurring nightmare. It starts off well enough: I'm back in December 2019, and listening to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, address the nation outside Downing Street after securing his whopping majority to 'Get Brexit Done'. Suddenly, however, dark, thunderous clouds cast a shadow over that happy scene. In a faraway land, a virus has escaped from a Chinese lab and begun to spread across the world. Lightning strikes, and I hear the low and terrible rumble of a distant convoy - then see Russian tanks looming over the horizon. Keir Starmer, arm-in-arm with Angela Rayner, stares into the windows of 10 Downing Street, hungry for power, with Sue Gray lurking close behind them.

The Deputy Prime Minister was harangued by Tories in the Commons today as she insisted the Employments Rights Bill would have a 'positive impact on growth'. The package - including flexible working, paternity and sick leave from day one - could force up prices for consumers and lead to job cuts, according to an impact assessment released by ministers. It is the first time the government has produced any estimated costs for the controversial measures, which are being debated and voted on by MPs this afternoon.

Ministers have admitted that Labour's workers' rights overhaul could cost businesses £5billion a year. The package - including flexible working, paternity and sick leave from day one - could force up prices for consumers and lead to job cuts. The warning comes in the so-called 'impact assessment' for the Employments Rights Bill - which is due to be debated and voted on by MPs later.

No10 confirmed today that the Deputy Prime Minister would join other senior ministers on the crucial committee, in 'recognition of the expectation that [she] will attend this committee regularly'. Allies of the Deputy PM had voiced anxiety that she was being sidelined after she was only given a temporary post on the crucial committee in a break with regular practice. Other permanent members include Chancellor Rachel Reeves , Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden and Foreign Secretary David Lammy. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper , Defence Secretary John Healey and Attorney General Richard Hermer were also named as members.

More than two-thirds of England's largest councils could be left bankrupt by 2027 due to the costs of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services. The stark warning has been issued after new analysis showed rising demand and costs had left local authorities in England with 'unmanageable' SEND deficits. Across the country, these deficits are now estimated to be £4billion this year and growing to a staggering £5.9billion next year. These deficits are currently being kept off councils' budget books due to an accountancy method called the 'statutory override'. But this is due to expire in March 2026 and there are fears huge numbers of councils will be forced to declare bankruptcy if the statutory override is removed. Labour ministers are facing demands to provide 'immediate clarity' by the County Councils Network, which represents England's counties, on how to manage councils' deficits over the coming years.

Allies of Angela Rayner (left) had voiced anxiety that she was being sidelined by Keir Starmer (right) after she was only given a temporary post on the crucial committee. However, the DPM has now seemingly been added to the membership - meaning she will be involved in discussions on threats to Britain. Meanwhile, Ms Rayner's supporters have been claiming a win over funding for social housing, with the Chancellor expected to allocate nearly £1billion in the Budget next week. In another apparent bid to play down the idea Ms Rayner has been shut out, they insisted the DPM - whose brief includes housing - was 'joined at the hip' with Sir Keir and Rachel Reeves (inset).

Angela Rayner is is expected to hail the first stage of a 'council housing revolution' as she is set to be handed almost £1biillion in next week's budget. The deputy prime minister is planning to double council house building after winning a boost to fund tens of thousands of extra homes. Ms Rayner argues that council housing is vital to hitting Labour 's target of building 1.5 million homes and the money is seen as a down-payment on far bigger sums in next spring's spending review. She believes the homes will help to avert a projected £9 billion rise in the benefit bill and cut the cost of temporary homeless accommodation that is bankrupting councils. The budget will also see the announcement of Rayner's restriction of right-to-buy rules, meaning existing council tenants will also have to pay tens of thousands of pounds more to own their homes.

Buying in the post-war developments can save homeowners as much as £160,000 -  more than a third of the total cost of the property - in some areas. Across the country houses cost an average of £30,000 less when they are within the communities, which were created by Clement Attlee's Labour government following the 1946 New Towns Act. It comes as Keir Starmer wages war on England's green belt after Angela Rayner unveiled an overhaul of England's planning rules to help deliver Labour's promise of 1.5million homes by 2029.

The Centre for Economics and Business Research calculates the overall effect will be to cut national output by nearly 9 per cent by the end of the decade, assuming Labour remains in power and the policies are not reversed. It would also result in a black hole in Government finances of more than £80 billion a year. That's partly because higher taxes make people and businesses change their habits, but also because tighter fiscal policies lead to slower growth.

These businesses have been suffering from lower sales and low profit margins since the Liz Truss mini-Budget of 2022. But the 'get Britain building again' policy should revamp their fortunes. Other sources of cheer include the latest Office for National Statistics numbers which show six consecutive months of rising property values. There is also the prospect of deeper cuts to interest rates following this week's fall in inflation to 1.7 per cent. As Russ Mould of broker AJ Bell puts it, 'the stars are finally aligning for the housebuilding sector'. However, if you are thinking of investing in housebuilder shares, be ready for a gamble and prepare to be patient.

A proposed consulate at the former Royal Mint, which the Chinese government purchased six years ago, would be one of the largest embassies in the world if built. However, the original plans for the embassy, opposite Tower Bridge, were refused by Tower Hamlets Council in 2022 and China was believed to have scrapped the plans. UK Government officials said that Beijing was annoyed by the suggestion that they should deal with a local authority and frustrated that the British central government, then run by the Conservatives, would not intervene. Following Labour's election, Beijing resubmitted the proposals in August without making any major changes. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) confirmed today that Secretary of State Angela Rayner (left) had 'called in' the scheme'.

The Chancellor yesterday signed off above-inflation public spending totals for the next three years ahead of this month's Budget. But sources said some departments will face a major squeeze as Ms Reeves funnels money towards tackling NHS waiting lists and boosting infrastructure investment, to the anger of moany ministers

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is preparing to unveil an eye-watering £40billion of tax hikes and spending cuts on October 30. Tax is likely to make up the overwhelming bulk of the package - expected to include increases to national insurance, capital gains and inheritance tax. That could mean it exceeds the £31.3billion brought in by Rishi Sunak 's post-Covid Budget in Spring 2021. It might even be bigger than Norman Lamont's 1993 mega-raid, which was worth around £38.5billion in current prices. That came in the aftermath of the Black Wednesday sterling crisis. Anxiety is growing over the scale of Ms Reeves' plans after she dropped heavy hints about looming 'pain' and pushing up NICs for employers. Several senior ministers including Angela Rayner are said to have voiced concerns at a political Cabinet session on Tuesday about proposals to trim some departments' spending.

Ministers including Angela Rayner (left) are believed to have lobbied the PM after being told by the Treasury that they need curb costs. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood (right) and Transport Secretary Louise Haigh (centre) are also said to have protested. The backlash - which has reportedly delayed the submission of spending plans - emerged as Chancellor Rachel Reeves (inset left) scrambles to fill what she has described as a 'black hole' in the public finances. Ms Reeves is poised to unveil an eye-watering £40billion worth of tax hikes and spending cuts on October 30.

In newly released images, Charles, 75, was smiling ear-to-ear when the two-tier, woollen cake, complete with colourful, crafted decorations and knitted candles and piping, was presented to him in Ayrshire, Scotland. The King's Foundation set up Future Textiles in 2014 after being inspired by Charles to address the skills gap in the UK textiles industry through education and training. A decade later, and more than 7,000 people have benefited from its courses, with projects run in collaboration with high-profile brands and firms such as Chanel and Net-a-Porter. Members of Knitwise, sessions run by Future Textiles to develop locally based high-skilled hand-knitters, presented the King with the unique celebratory cake at the charity's annual graduation event at its Dumfries House headquarters.

EXCLUSIVE: Residents living in an idyllic market down have accused their council of 'eroding trust' after they U-turned on a controversial plan to build more than 2,000 homes on green belt land at the 11th hour. The threat of overdevelopment has sparked anger in Tring, with residents furious that they would be 'bearing the brunt' of an influx of houses in Dacorum, Hertfordshire. Controversial Conservative plans to build 2,050 homes were axed by the Liberal Democrats when they took over Dacorum Borough Council in May 2023. The Lib Dems ' promise to only build 250 homes was deemed far more suitable by Tring residents. But locals were stunned to find out last week that the council have secretly U-turned and will be reviving plans to rush through 2,050 homes on The Marshield and New Mill sites.

A shortage of planning staff could thwart the government's ambitious housebuilding plans, councils have warned. Planning departments have the worst workforce shortages, with 84 per cent of local authorities experiencing recruitment and retention issues, research by the District Councils' Network (DCN) found. Too few planners could lead to lower housebuilding rates as well as suboptimal developments where they are built, the DCN warned.

One hundred long days and short nights (I don't sleep well) have passed since Labour roared into power with a thumping majority. And although I rarely rant and rave - friends tell me that I internalise too much - this government worries me like none other in more than 30 years of reporting on money matters. It scares me stiff. Everything that Sir Keir Starmer's tribe has done since July 5 has left me singularly unimpressed. Whether it's pandering to the public sector unions on pay and pensions, pursuing a fervent (and costly) green energy agenda, tying businesses in knots and costs over enhanced rights for workers, or forcing landlords to give up the game because of improved tenants' rights, Labour is storing up trouble - big trouble - for the economy.

Jonathan Reynolds insisted a boycott of P&O Ferries was 'not the government's position' as he was repeatedly grilled over Cabinet colleague Louise Haigh's attack. He admitted that the government needed to 'have a conversation' with the firm's Dubai-based owner DP World, which responded by threatening to pull a £1billion investment package. Keir Starmer desperately moved to save the deal ahead of tomorrow's business summit by issuing a slapdown to Ms Haigh. But Ms Haigh and Angela Rayner - who jointly issued a press release last week slamming P&O Ferries for firing 800 staff in 2022 - are said to be 'hopping mad'.

Pub landlords may have to become 'banter cops' to stop themselves from being sued by staff who are offended by comments from customers under Labour's new reforms. Business leaders have warned that the incoming Employment Rights Bill will make employers liable for their staff being offended by the public. Bosses will legally have to take 'all reasonable steps' to prevent harassment by third parties relating to protected characteristics, including sex, gender reassignment or age. But Free Speech campaigners believe this will force pub staff into the role of 'banter cops' who have to ban customers for telling inappropriate jokes when they harass those who are working there. They believe the Bill will also lead to universities giving in to criticism over controversial guest speakers.

Keir Starmer (left) sparked anger from unions and MPs after he publicly rebuked Louise Haigh (right) for suggesting that customers should boycott the firm. The Transport Secretary's intervention triggered a threat from Dubai-based parent company DP World to pull a £1billion investment in the UK - intended to be one of the centrepieces of the summit tomorrow. But although Sir Keir's slapdown looks to have saved the deal, Ms Haigh and Angela Rayner (inset) - who jointly issued a press release last week slamming P&O Ferries for firing 800 staff in 2022 - are said to be 'hopping mad'.

Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of 'industrial vandalism' as Labour confirmed it would not strike a rescue deal to nationalise the Grangemouth oil refinery. Ahead of the Prime Minister's major UK investment summit on Monday, his energy department finally admitted that pleas for the UK government to buyout Scotland's only refinery - even if only on a temporary basis - were not being considered. Desperate union chiefs, workers and campaigners have for weeks implored UK ministers to take a stake in the oil refinery to keep it running amid fears closing it would threaten the country's energy security, and de-industrialise the local area.