This Labour government is in complete and utter chaos. Angela Rayner’s humiliating resignation over her dodgy tax affairs marks the lowest point yet for a party which has been in power for 14 calamitous months.
Freebie scandals, bumper tax raids, targeting pensioners and a string of ministers losing their jobs has seen Sir Keir Starmer’s party plummet in the polls. But the departure of his deputy gives the Prime Minister a far bigger headache.
Rayner in many ways is the heartbeat of the parliamentary Labour party.
She is the cheerleader for the Left, loved by many Labourites and the closest thing Labour has to Nigel Farage.
Even the Reform UK leader privately admits she would be his toughest rival if she were ever to take over the reins from Sir Keir.
Rayner’s demise makes that very unlikely to ever happen now and her departure from government leaves the Prime Minister in an incredibly weak position.
In many ways she was the shield that protected him from disgruntled backbenchers.
Many Labour MPs are deeply divided over the disability benefits shambles.
He has a Chancellor in Rachel Reeves who is facing accusations she has mishandled the economy and is poised to hike taxes in the Budget on November 26 to fill a black hole of up to £50 billion.
The Prime Minister has repeatedly held off reshaping his top team despite the government’s failings.
A mini-reshuffle earlier this hastened Sir Keir’s much-vaunted “Phase Two” of government.
Today’s dramatic events means that he must hastily move on to Phase Three.