Angela Rayner has accumulated an additional £95,000 in speaking fees and donations, according to her latest official register of interests. The former deputy prime minister declared a £20,000 payment from Coex Partners, a City of London financial services firm, for a three-hour speaking engagement.
Donations and Total Sums
Ms Rayner also registered a £50,000 donation from Refrigeration House Limited towards her office staffing costs. This brings the total from the Oldham-based fridge company to £150,000 across three separate donations since December last year. Paul Jordon, the company's owner, has previously praised Ms Rayner's 'real world experience', stating: 'We need more people in politics with her background.'
In addition, she declared a £25,000 donation from individual donor Ashley Mitchell for staffing costs. Since leaving government in September last year, Ms Rayner has earned £49,000 from speaking engagements and donated another £10,000 fee to charity.
Leadership Speculation
The financial disclosures have fuelled speculation that Ms Rayner is building a war chest for a potential leadership bid if Keir Starmer is forced out by unhappy Labour MPs. However, allies reject this, saying it is not unusual for high-profile MPs to raise money for office and staffing costs.
Ms Rayner signed up with speaking agencies after resigning as deputy PM and housing secretary, despite previously criticising politicians' outside earnings. In May 2023, she posted on social media: 'Being an MP isn't a second job. It is the job.'
Tax Row and Comeback
Ms Rayner is awaiting the findings of a HMRC review into her failure to pay correct stamp duty on a flat purchase, a row that led to her resignation. She is said to owe £40,000 in extra stamp duty, with a possible additional penalty.
At Prime Minister's Questions, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch claimed Ms Rayner was 'on manoeuvres' as Starmer reels from the Peter Mandelson scandal and poor poll ratings. Starmer has praised Ms Rayner as 'hugely talented' and said he would welcome her back to his Cabinet. Reports suggest he may offer her a comeback as soon as next week as part of a survival strategy ahead of expected poor local election results on 7 May.
Badenoch jibed: 'This Government is like a bad episode of Game Of Thrones... the Prime Minister is holed up in his castle, wetting himself about a visit from the King in the North.' Starmer's spokesman declined to comment on reshuffle speculation but reiterated the PM's view that she is 'hugely talented'.
