Angela Rayner
Angela Rayner has defended her record in government on housing and workers’ rights, pointing to reforms introduced during her time as deputy prime minister and housing secretary amid growing debate over Labour’s direction.
Speaking as questions continue over the party’s future leadership, Rayner highlighted policies including renters’ rights legislation, planning reform, leasehold reform, employment protections and measures aimed at expanding social housing provision.
Rayner argued that the government had begun delivering structural reforms across housing and employment, while also acknowledging that Labour still needs to do more to convince younger voters the party is addressing their long-term concerns around housing affordability, security and living standards.
In an interview with The Rest Is Politics about Gen Z, Rayner discussed her record as deputy prime minister and housing secretary, and why politicians must work harder to win back young people’s trust.
She talks about housing, renters’ rights, leasehold reform, workers’ rights, votes at 16, student debt, social media, AI and the rise of populism – arguing that too many young people feel locked out of opportunity, priced out of secure homes, stuck in insecure work, and ignored by politics.
Rayner also reflects on Labour’s challenge in communicating its record more clearly, while defending reforms on housing, employment rights and wages as part of a wider attempt to show young people that politics can still change lives.
A full transcript can be found here (N.B. due to the transcription software used, it was not possible to correctly label everyone throughout, but the three main voices are Angela Rayner, Alastair Campbell and Vicky Spratt).
