Angela Rayner could have housing removed from her portfolio of issues she is responsible for, according to Sky News.
On the latest episode of Politics at Sam and Anne’s, the duo discuss rumours that the deputy prime minister could have her role downgraded in an upcoming government reshuffle.
It follows a report that suggested Rayner wants to tax savers, according to a secret memo leaked to The Telegraph.
Sky News’ deputy political editor Sam Coates said he was “told by a very senior figure in Angela Rayner’s department” that they will only hit the government’s target of building 1.5m homes if they get a “generous settlement” in the spending review.
“In other words, Angela Rayner is facing the prospect of having too little cash to deliver one of the government’s flagship promises”, Coates said.
“So she is telling Rachel Reeves in the context of this spending review, I think as well, raise more money.”
Coates added that he has been told there is “some kind of memo… maybe by an outside organisation that’s been flying around government with this proposal to strip out housing from Angela Rayner’s department.”
But, speaking on the podcast, Sam acknowledged this “would be such a downgrade to Angela Rayner’s prestige” and it would be seen as “a big tweak to her tail”.
Politico’s Anne McElvoy agreed that she has also heard a “scuttlebutt around in Whitehall that [housing] might be moved out of Angela Rayner’s brief”.
She added that the government keeps denying a cabinet reshuffle is imminent but that “at the same time, there does seem to be quite a lot of work going on”.
McElvoy also pointed out that Rayner is “clearly a fighter” and “would fight tooth and nail to main control” of housing.
McElvoy suggested these rumours will probably give Rayner ammunition to demand more money for housing from the chancellor.
Angela Rayner eyes growth as she tells housebuilders to ‘build, build, build’
