RAYNER 'NOT PREPARED TO LEAVE OFFICE' WITHOUT CUTTING CHILD POVERTY

Angel Rayner said she was not prepared to leave office without making serious improvements to Britain's child poverty rate today.

The Deputy Prime Minister spoke out as she launched a 'devolution revolution' that will hand more powers to regional mayors and councils to control skills, energy, planning and transport.

It comes ahead of tomorrow's King's Speech, which is expected to include plans for the 'most ambitious programme of devolution this country has ever seen'.

But the move comes after allies of Ms Rayner suggested she was being 'frozen out' of other key areas of her brief as Secretary of State for Housing and Communities and as Sir Keir Starmer's deputy.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has been handed responsibility for an overhaul of workers' rights, which Ms Rayner was stewarding in opposition.

Ands the Sunday Telegraph reported speculation that Chancellor Rachel Reeves will make the running on housing, after she made it the subject of her maiden speech since entering No11.

In a round of media interviews this morning Ms Rayner was questioned about Labour's refusal to abandon the two-child benefit cap.

She told the BBC: 'All I would say is look at what Labour's history and what we do when we're in government and as someone who grew up in poverty, I am not prepared to leave office after a Labour government where we haven't made those significant changes and child poverty is an issue for us.

'And we're absolutely appalled that children haven't got beds to sleep in at night. This is the 21st century, this shouldn't be the situation we're in but this is the inheritance that the Conservatives have left us and we will continue to tackle those issues.'

ANGELA Rayner will today lay out plans for a 'devolution revolution' by handing more powers to regional mayors and councils.

It comes ahead of tomorrow's King's Speech in which mayors and councils are expected to be given more control over skills, energy, planning and transport.

It is being billed as the 'most ambitious programme of devolution this country has ever seen'.

In a letter to local leaders, the Deputy PM wrote: 'For too long, Westminster government has tightly gripped control and held back opportunities and potential for towns, cities and villages across the country.

'Last week, with the Prime Minister, I had the pleasure of meeting the metro mayors in England.

'We discussed how to have proper, grown-up conversations around economic growth, and how to deliver that through better housing, skills, and jobs for local people.' The Government has pointed to Greater Manchester, which has had devolved powers since 2014, as an example of a region succeeding as a result of devolution.

In other parts of the country, mayors have played a crucial role in attracting new investment – with major manufacturers such as Boeing and McLaren bringing new jobs to South Yorkshire, while West Yorkshire is now home to the UK's fastest growing digital industry outside London. However, only around half of people in England currently benefit from devolution arrangements.

Ms Rayner will invite local leaders in 'devolution deserts' to take on more powers. The idea is that local leaders can make decisions that benefit their communities, while boosting economic growth.

2024-07-16T08:53:26Z dg43tfdfdgfd