It’s Angela Rayner, of course, and her power is growing by the day. She claims she doesn’t want to be PM, but she’s the most likely candidate. Already, the Deputy PM is now the power behind the throne, pushing her agenda at every opportunity. Labour activists will love it, the rest of the country should be terrified.
At least ‘Red Ange’ doesn’t hide her intentions, unlike Starmer, who says whatever suits him at the time. She’s been spelling them out for years, cheered on by militant unions and the Labour grassroots. If she ever makes it to Number 10 – and even if she doesn’t – here are 10 ways she’d drag Britain backwards. Many are already happening.
1. Scrap every anti-strike law. Rayner has vowed to tear up strike laws passed since the 1980s. That means bringing back 1970s-style flying pickets, mass walkouts and union bullying.
2. Destroy even more jobs. Reeves has destroyed hundreds of thousands of jobs with her tax hikes, but Rayner would accelerate the process via her upcoming Employment Rights Bill. This is estimated to cost businesses another £5billion they can’t afford, and possibly a lot more.
3. Unleash a tidal wave of employee litigation. Her Bill will give employees full rights from day one. No probation periods. No time to assess new hires, making it even riskier for small businesses to take a chance on someone new. By doing this, economically illiterate Red Ange will destroy even more jobs.
9. Slam business owners. Rayner has long called for “wealth taxes” on entrepreneurs and investors. Expect capital gains tax hikes and a fresh assault on small business dividends. The message is clear: build a business, create jobs, and get hammered for it.
10. Revive the 55% pension tax. Rayner howled when former Tory Chancellor Jeremy Hunt scrapped the lifetime cap on pensions. She wants it back, which would hit doctors, professionals and anyone saving diligently for retirement.
I’m not making this up, Rayner has said all of this publicly. In contrast to Starmer, she’s been completely open about what she believes, and what she’d do in power. And we’re already halfway there.