Careful Carrie! Boris Johnson flirts with Angela Rayner over his leadership ambitions as she admits she has ‘aspirations’ for No 10 during a VERY jovial PMQ (as his boss languishes in Covid isolation … again)
- Ms Rayner, 41, clashed with the Prime Minister over the UK’s cost of living crisis in PMQs
- Dressed in pearls, she targeted her refusal to consider a VAT cut to help families
- She stood in for Sir Keir Starmer as he self-isolated with Covid for the sixth time
Boris Johnson and Angela Rayner set off sparks with a forceful display at Prime Minister’s Questions in which the deputy leader of Labor made her designs on power clear.
Glamorous granny Ms Rayner, 41, clashed with the Prime Minister over the UK’s cost of living crisis as the Commons returned from its Christmas break.
Dressed in pearls, she took aim at her refusal to consider a VAT cut to help struggling families in the face of soaring energy prices, rising inflation and upcoming tax hikes that will add hundreds to their monthly bills.
She was standing in for Opposition Leader Sir Keir Starmer as he self-isolated with Covid – his sixth time in quarantine.
And it resulted in a tumultuous posting that led observers on social media to suggest the couple – who have wildly divergent political views – were flirting with each other.
A smiling, freshly groomed Mr Johnson hit back at his attacks on the cost of living by pointing out that his many roles in the party included shadow minister for the future of work.
The thrice-married Prime Minister added ‘we all know what job she wants’ – a hint at claims she would like to replace Sir Keir.
And Ms Rayner, her long auburn locks flowing, did little to tone down that suggestion as she hit back: ‘I’ve heard there may be a vacancy for Prime Minister soon, so maybe I should show aspiration.”
Glamorous granny Ms Rayner, 41, clashed with the Prime Minister over the UK’s cost of living crisis as the Commons returned from its Christmas break.
Dressed in pearls, she took aim at her refusal to consider a VAT cut to help struggling families in the face of soaring energy prices, rising inflation and upcoming tax hikes that will add hundreds to their monthly bills.
Mr Johnson hit back at her attacks saying ‘we all know what job she wants’ – a hint at claims she would like to replace Sir Keir
It sparked a tumultuous posting that led observers on social media to suggest the couple – who have wildly divergent political views – were flirting with each other.
She urged the Prime Minister to be more “ambitious for this country” as working families “pay the bill for his incompetence”.
In front of a mostly packed and masked House of Commons, she said: ‘The Prime Minister claims it’s not his fault, he blames global forces, he blames the market. We’re an ambitious party, maybe that the Prime Minister must be more ambitious for this country.
“But, the Prime Minister made political choices which brought us here. His government failed to invest in long-term energy security, his government decided to let gas storage collapse. His government let the energy market spiral out of control. 27 energy companies went bankrupt last year. And now household bills are skyrocketing.
She added: ‘Can the Prime Minister still see what’s going on? Working-class families are paying the bill for his incompetence.
Mr Johnson replied: ‘She talks about energy. I think the House would agree that she has a lot more energy than the current Leader of the Opposition.
Keir Starmer has tested positive for coronavirus again and will miss today’s PMQ battle with Boris Johnson
Sir Keir was forced to miss the budget on October 27 after testing positive that day – just ten weeks ago
Ms Rayner told the Commons that ‘even Tory backbenchers have finally accepted Labour’s call to cut VAT’ on energy bills.
Ms Rayner said: ‘So will he (Boris Johnson) finally stand up to his chancellor and do the same?
Prime Minister Boris Johnson replied: ‘They have the effrontery now, having campaigned and so does she, don’t they?’
“Oh yes, she campaigned to stay in the EU. Oh yes, she did. They now have the nerve to come to this House of Commons and say that they want to reduce the VAT on fuel when everyone knows it and he too, everyone knows very well that it would be absolutely impossible if they did what Labor would do and go back to the EU, stay aligned with the EU single market. This is the objective of the Labor Party. They can’t be trusted on Brexit and they can’t be trusted with the economy.
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