Starmer has refused repeatedly to say if he will sack Rayner if she is found to have broken the ministerial code. Replying to Chris Mason’s straight question he said:
“Well, Angela Rayner has referred herself to the independent adviser. My experience is he will be comprehensive in the report that he gives me. He will be quick, and that’s what I’m expecting. And so I want to let that process take its course. I did strengthen that process, so she’s done the right thing referred to the independent advisor, and now he will do his work and report back to me.“
After equivocating again Mason compared Starmer to Boris:
This is a million miles away from what Starmer claimed he would do in opposition. The PM was asked what he knew and when:
“What I knew was that she’d taken advice at the time of the conveyance. I knew she was taking further advice. That further advice arrived Wednesday morning. And then Angela Rayner referred herself to the independent advisor. So, I knew that she was taking advice. I think it was some further information that was needed. That advice then came through on Wednesday morning and Angela Rayner referred herself straight away to the independent adviser.“
Asked when he became aware of the final advice, he said: “Wednesday morning, when the advice was given.” Change…
Speaking at his speech on how to achieve “progressive capitalism” Wes Streeting fired a dig and Andy Burnham:
“Bond markets are not bond villains and fiscal rules matter.”