Starmer denies sidelining Rayner over Tory ‘scum’ comments

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has denied reports that he has “punished” his deputy leader Angela Rayner.

The Mail on Sunday claimed yesterday that Sir Keir had side-lined Rayner after she sparked criticism for remarking during a conference fringe event last month that Conservatives were “scum”.

In response to a question regarding Rayner’s standing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain programme this morning, Starmer said it was “not true” that a rift had emerged with Rayner, and that he often came across media coverage “that bear no relation to the truth”.

Starmer also said that the deputy leader had recently been bereaved by someone she considered “more or less as her mother”.