Angela Rayner’s drama-queen habit at PMQs

‘The battle of the gingers.’ That’s how Angela Rayner described her tussle with Oliver Dowden at deputy prime minister’s questions today. But it was a cosy chat rather than a vicious duel. 

Dowden probed Labour’s plan to fleece businesses by raising employers’ National Insurance contributions. Rayner disregarded the issue and drawled out a reply using experimental syntax.

‘I remember the party opposite what they said to business. What was it? “Eff to business,”’ she said.

Dowden made little attempt to interrogate her and kept smirking and playing for laughs. ‘This is our last exchange across the despatch box,’ he said, fuelling rumours that he plans to give up his seat once Rishi Sunak’s replacement is announced. 

‘I’ll miss our exchanges,’ simpered Rayner. Dowden tried to embarrass her by quoting her own statements on NI. Rayner had warned that ‘workers will pay when employers pass on the hike.’

Does she agree with herself? asked Dowden.

Rayner ignored this query and answered a different question.