Health Secretary’s ‘we need her back’ declaration draws standing ovation as he appears to criticise PM’s handling of deputy’s resignation
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has made a dramatic intervention at the Labour Party conference, demanding the return of Angela Rayner to government just weeks after she resigned over a stamp duty scandal that rocked the Starmer administration.
In what appeared to be a thinly-veiled criticism of the Prime Minister’s handling of his former deputy’s departure, Streeting paused mid-speech to declare “We need her back” to thunderous applause from delegates in Liverpool.
The Health Secretary’s passionate defence of Rayner, who resigned on 5 September after admitting she underpaid £40,000 in stamp duty on an £800,000 flat in Hove, marks the most significant public challenge yet to Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership from within his own cabinet.
Standing Ovation for Fallen Deputy
Streeting’s intervention came as he unveiled plans for the NHS and announced a £500 million investment for the first-ever “fair pay agreement” for care workers. Turning to praise union achievements, he pivoted to honour Rayner’s contribution to the policy.
“Let’s also be clear about how this change has come about. They’re sat down there, Unison and GMB, who stood up for care workers when no one else would,” Streeting told delegates. “Friends, you can go back to your members and tell them with pride. This is a difference that Labour unions in Government make.”
The Health Secretary then delivered his bombshell tribute to the absent former deputy: “And there’s someone else who’s made a real difference, who understands the struggle care workers face because she was one.”
“She brought that experience to the Cabinet table as the care worker who became our country’s Deputy Prime Minister. Angela Rayner, this achievement is yours.
As the conference erupted in sustained applause, Streeting appeared to directly challenge Starmer’s decision not to fight harder to keep his deputy, declaring: “And we want her back as well.”
The crowd’s applause intensified as Streeting added: “We’ll definitely make sure she sees that,” before pausing dramatically and repeating with emphasis: “We need her back.”
The Scandal That Toppled Labour’s Star
Rayner’s resignation came after a week of intense scrutiny over her property tax affairs. The former deputy had purchased an £800,000 seafront flat in Hove in May, paying £30,000 in stamp duty based on legal advice that she was liable only for the standard rate.
However, it emerged she should have paid £70,000 – the higher rate applicable to second homes – despite having transferred her share of her Ashton-under-Lyne constituency home to a trust for her disabled son. The property had been registered with Brighton and Hove Council as a second home for council tax purposes, creating what critics called an inconsistent classification across different tax systems.
The scandal proved particularly damaging given Rayner’s history of attacking Conservative politicians over their tax affairs. In 2018, she had accused then-health minister Jeremy Hunt of “sleaze” for using a “Tory tax loophole” to save nearly £100,000 in stamp duty when buying seven apartments.
After referring herself to Sir Laurie Magnus, the Prime Minister’s independent adviser on ministerial standards, Rayner was found to have breached the ministerial code. Magnus concluded that whilst she had acted “in good faith” and with “integrity,” she had not met the “highest possible standards of proper conduct.”
A Resignation That Shook Labour
In her resignation letter on 5 September, Rayner wrote: “While the Independent Adviser has concluded that I acted in good faith and with honesty and integrity throughout, I accept that I did not meet the highest standards in relation to my recent property purchase.”
She added: “I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice given both my position as Housing Secretary and my complex family arrangements.”
Rayner’s departure triggered a significant cabinet reshuffle, with David Lammy moving from Foreign Secretary to Deputy Prime Minister, Yvette Cooper taking the Foreign Office, and Shabana Mahmood becoming Home Secretary.
The resignation was particularly damaging for Starmer as Rayner represented one of the most authentic working-class voices in his cabinet and served as a crucial bridge to Labour’s traditional base and union movement. She had also resigned as Labour’s deputy leader, a role filled through party election rather than prime ministerial appointment.
Conference Tensions Surface
Streeting’s intervention highlights growing tensions within Labour’s ranks over the handling of Rayner’s departure. Many in the party believe Starmer should have stood by his deputy more forcefully, particularly given the complex circumstances involving provision for her disabled son.
The Health Secretary’s comments suggest senior cabinet figures believe Rayner could and should make a swift return to government, though any immediate restoration would require Starmer to effectively admit he mishandled the original crisis.
His dramatic intervention came during the same speech in which he launched a fierce attack on Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, branding him a “con artist” and warning he wanted to replace the NHS with an insurance-based system.
“His vision for healthcare is a system that checks your pocket before your pulse and asks for your credit card before your care,” Streeting declared. “Well it might be alright for Mr Moneybags, we know he can afford it, but what about those who can’t?”
Political Rehabilitation on the Cards?
The standing ovation Rayner’s name received suggests strong grassroots support remains for the former deputy, who had been notably absent from this week’s conference in Liverpool. Her rehabilitation could prove crucial for Labour as it faces rising challenges from Reform UK, which currently leads in some national polls.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey had notably defended Rayner during the scandal, saying as a parent of a disabled child, he understood her concerns about providing for her son’s future care.
Streeting’s public call for Rayner’s return places significant pressure on Starmer to find a route back for his former deputy. However, with the ministerial standards investigation having found against her just weeks ago, any immediate return would risk accusations of undermining governmental integrity.
As delegates filed out following Streeting’s speech, the message was clear: Angela Rayner may be gone from government, but she is far from forgotten by the Labour movement. Whether Starmer heeds his Health Secretary’s very public advice remains to be seen.
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Image Credit:
Wes Streeting — official cabinet portrait (cropped), licensed under CC BY 4.0
