Angela Rayner MP: speeches

Speeches

• 7 Sept 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Last Thursday marked the two-year anniversary of the publication of the Grenfell Tower inquiry phase 2 report. We remain committed to ensuring that the Grenfell tragedy is not forgotten and never happens again, and we will continue to work closely with the community and the building industry as we deliver lasting change.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  I have great sympathy with what the hon. Member says, and the Housing Minister has just indicated that he would be happy to meet him. That is something that we want to tackle. We have been very clear on service charges and fleecehold, and we will make sure that we bring forward legislation that protects people from unfair charges.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation: Devon · Hansard source

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  I hope that local MPs and councils will be engaged. I have made a commitment, which I will go into further in the statement after this Question Time. It is about making sure that we make the right choices for local areas. Where costs have been incurred, there will be conversations with my Department, which was allocated money to support local government reorganisation. We are still committed to local government reorganisation, but with people.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation: Devon · Hansard source

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  I have asked the Minister for Local Government, Devolution and Regional Growth, my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton (Jim McMahon) to undertake a rapid review of the local government reorganisation programme. I have withdrawn the decisions made in March this year for four areas: Essex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock; Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton; Norfolk; and Suffolk. The review will look at the programme as a whole, including the decision that was taken for Devon, Plymouth and Torbay.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Again, I have said that I want to do the review at pace and I will be working on that. I want to place on the record that there is no suggestion of wrongdoing by my right hon. Friend the Member for Streatham and Croydon North (Steve Reed) or my hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Alison McGovern). They are quite correct that we must review the processes and learn lessons, and I am pleased that we will today announce the new permanent secretary in my Department, who has an impeccable track record in public service, including local government. I will ensure that we continue at pace to ensure that we get the best local government reform for the right hon. Gentleman’s area.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Again, I do recognise the frustration that my hon. Friend has expressed at parts of this process. I want to ensure that we take this forward and that it is robust, and that is why I have come to this House to say that I want to review the decisions on the basis of the legal advice provided as part of the JR process. I want to ensure that the rationale for those that go forward, including the 14 other areas, is absolutely watertight. I ask my hon. Friend to meet the Ministers as part of this process and we can iron out some of those concerns.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I appreciate the hon. Member’s frustration, but— [ Interruption. ]

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Absolutely. I commend the local representatives in Lancashire for their work. I have been really clear that I have paused to have a review of those places in order to make sure that I am confident, as the Secretary of State, that I have dotted every i, crossed every t and worked with local people to ensure that we give them the best possible local government reform and devolution package.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  This is a pause. It is a review—I have made that absolutely crystal clear—for me to consider the legal advice that was provided as part of the JR process, as well as for me to be able to do what the Prime Minister asked us last week, which was to look at the local government reform programme. That is what I am doing. I did talk about the £63 million. That money is earmarked. If those areas have financial concerns regarding the money they have spent on local government reorganisation, they can contact my Department.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Absolutely. My hon. Friend is right to highlight the challenges but also the opportunities that can be unlocked as part of this process. I appreciate the specific work that has been done that needs to be paused, but councils can continue with cross-cutting things like data sharing. My officials will be in touch to ensure that we are giving the right support to her local area, so that we can get back on track and ensure that we deliver for her constituents.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I would push back a little on that, because I do not think that money has been wasted. I have said that I want a review, and I have put a pause in place to carry out that review and ensure that I get it absolutely right as the Secretary of State. I do not think that money is wasted. I have been really clear that the Government have committed to providing transitional funding. I want to continue to work with the hon. Gentleman’s local leaders so that we can get local government reform on track, but I want to be confident that I am making the correct decisions for his local area and with his local area, delivering what it wants.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I recognise what local government has been through after 14 years of the Conservatives—in fact, I think the hon. Gentleman’s party was involved at the time. In trying to recognise the challenges that areas face, I believe that what I am saying today about local government reorganisation does not impact on the timetable for devolution. I believe that that will go ahead, and unitary local government can help with the smooth functioning of strategic authorities.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  The review will look at those issues; I will then be able to give a more detailed response to how that happens with Ministers. I want to ensure that local Members feel that this review takes into account the issues and concerns that people raise and that it is done in a prompt and inclusive way, so that we can make the right decisions for my hon. Friend’s local area.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Absolutely. Last week, I said clearly that I recognised the work of those in local government, and how difficult this has been for our local government colleagues, given the changes that have happened in our communities and the demands and pressures put on local government. I absolutely believe that local government is critical to ensuring that we get the devolution agenda right, and that we must build back resilience at a local level, so that councils can carry on delivering excellent services to their residents.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mr Francois) raised these issues before, and I do appreciate the frustration in Essex. In response to the right hon. Member, who was here a while ago and raised these issues, I made it really clear that local government reorganisation is about delivering—

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Let me be really clear: this has not been overturned. As Secretary of State, I have made the decision to withdraw so that I can have a look and clear sight of what is going on, and review those decisions. I have done that in good conscience because I want to ensure that we get this absolutely right. I dispute the gerrymandering allegation—I do not believe that that is the case. I am really clear that local government reform can unlock potential in the right hon. Gentleman’s area and in areas across England, and that is what I want to do with local people. I understand that we will not get consensus and it is probably going to be a highly litigated area, but I want to work hard to get this right as quickly as possible, so that we can deliver for his constituents.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I reassure my hon. Friend that I have said that this review should be rapid, and that we should get on as quickly as possible with engagement, but also that the timetable for devolution should not be affected. We need to make sure that we make the right decisions on local government reform, but we want to take forward devolution at pace.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I assure the hon. Member that the Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton, is in his place and will be meeting Lancashire Members. We want to make sure that we unlock the potential of that area. The Prime Minister talks about growth in every postcode, which includes making sure that devolution and local government reorganisation deliver for everybody across the whole of Lancashire. That is what we want to do through this review, and it is at the forefront of my mind.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I say again that the review does not include the reorganisation of Surrey. Councillors have been elected and new councils go live from 1 April.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I want to give clarity to the hon. Gentleman and his local leaders, and I will review the situation at pace to make sure that we are able to do so.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  This is not about overturning or overpowering local decisions. This is about me reviewing these decisions and making sure that there is a robust system that says, “This is where we want to go”, and taking that forward. I hope to do that within a matter of weeks—not too long a process—and to get it right. That is fundamentally the first and foremost point: I want to get it right for the hon. Gentleman’s constituents so that they can get on and get the things that they absolutely want and desire.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Absolutely. As the Prime Minister set out, it is really important that every area and every postcode feels the benefits of growth and that we can unlock potential through devolution. Local government reform is part of that process but not the only bit. I believe that we will put areas in a strong position through devolution, and that we will be able to deliver better services for her local area and start to repair some of the damage that was done by the cuts to local government under the previous Government.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I totally recognise that Cambridgeshire has a huge amount of potential, and we will absolutely ensure that a meeting is set up with myself or the Minister. I gently say that I understand the implications of me coming to the House today, as Secretary of State, and reviewing these decisions. I have said that I want to do it at pace, but I have also made it really clear that I felt that I needed to put that review in place so that I could satisfy myself that we are doing it correct. These are some really big reforms, as the hon. Lady is aware. I want to make sure we get it right so that her area can reach its full potential, and I am sure it will.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I gently say that, for me, this is not an experiment; it is about working with local areas to deliver local services and improve on them. The review does not include the reorganisation of Surrey. As I said, councillors have been elected already, and the new councils go live on 1 April 2027. I hope that Surrey, with the two new unitary councils, will be able to deliver across the area on vital services, like adult social care, transport and those good services that people want to see across their area, and I will work with them to deliver that.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Absolutely. I agree with my hon. Friend about the amount of work that has gone in from local officers and council representatives as part of the process; I recognise that a lot of work has gone into the financial commitments as well. I say to the House that this work is not wasted. We are reviewing at pace so that I can come to the House at the earliest opportunity, and the Government have committed to providing transitional funding. I urge my hon. Friend and his local leaders to contact my Department.