Angela Rayner has refused to deny that she once joked Keir Starmer was so inept he “couldn’t run a bath”.
Labour’s deputy leader was left squirming when she was grilled over the alleged remarks questioning the Prime Minister’s lack of leadership skills.
She also refused to deny that she called Prince Andrew a “nonce” and tried to block the Royal from ever standing in for King Charles, according to a tell-all book on Labour’s rise to power.
The explosive details were revealed in an extract from Get In: The Inside Story of Labour Under Starmer, a book by Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund, set for release on February 13.
It is claimed that Labour voiced doubts over Sir Keir’s leadership amid accusations he wasn’t “driving the train” – but is more like a HR manager.
While Ms Rayner herself is described as someone who “manipulates people”.
One aide said: “Keir’s not driving the train. He thinks he’s driving the train, but we’ve sat him at the front of the DLR.”
The DLR is a reference to London’s driverless Docklands Light Railway trains.
Concerns about his leadership have also been raised by his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney who complained he behaved like an “HR manager”.
He even raised fears about his boss’s long-term ambitions in 2021 when he declared: “What’s the point in circling the wagons if you can’t last?”
Ms Rayner even reportedly joked he was so inept he couldn’t run a bath, in extracts from the book which have been serialised in The Sunday Times.
And she refused to deny the alleged remarks during an interview with the BBC’s Laura Keunssberg.
She said: “There were a lot of things that were said in that book I don’t recognise to be honest, it’s tittle tattle.”
Pressed again she added: “I don’t recognise what was said in that book. There were lots of other things said about me and other people but I don’t recognise saying that about anybody.
“But we all have frustrations when we are at work sometimes and I’m sure people have been frustrated with me at work sometimes.”
Ms Rayner also reportedly fought a behind-the-scenes battle to curb the Duke of York’s influence following his downfall over ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Prince Andrew remains a counsellor of state who can deputise for the King.
However, he has been stripped of other royal roles due to his ties to sex offender Epstein and a photo of him with then 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre.
The Duke of York paid Ms Giuffre £12million to avoid a trial but denied wrongdoing and says he has no memory of meeting her.
He is now rarely seen in public and has been living a quiet life since a car crash interview with BBC Newsnight in 2019.
Ms Rayner was said to be wanting to remove Andrew as one of the counsellors of the state.
She allegedly said: “I’m not going to vote to keep that nonce on… I can’t go back to my constituency and say, ‘Yeah, I support that’.”
Asked about the alleged remarks regarding Prince Andrew she said: “I am not making any comments about what’s said or not said in a book.”
