Angela Rayner recalls ‘sick feeling’ of fear she couldn’t pay bills as young mum

In a feisty PMQs exchange, Labour Deputy Leader Angela Rayner, who was a single mum at 16, said the Government was ‘taking a wrecking ball’ to measures to help kids out of poverty

Labour’s Deputy Leader Angela Rayner slammed the Government over child poverty levels

Angela Rayner described the “sick feeling” she had as a young mum over not being able to pay her bills as she blasted the Tories for failing to stamp out child poverty.

In a feisty PMQs exchange, the Labour Deputy Leader, who was a single mum at 16, said the Government was “taking a wrecking ball” to measures to help kids out of poverty.

Ms Rayner faced off against new Deputy PM Oliver Dowden, in his first stint deputising for Rishi Sunak who is travelling to the G7 summit in Japan.

She pointed to grim comments from University College London’s Professor Sir Michael Marmot, who said the UK is “on track to make child poverty worse”.

The public health expert said the Government could spend more on children in their early years but refused to do so, blaming high taxes.

Raising his comments, she said: “When I was a young mum, I remember the sick feeling in my stomach not knowing if my wages would cover the bills.

Deputy PM Oliver Dowden stepped in for Rishi Sunak at PMQs

“Yet his Government has taken a wrecking ball to measures by the Labour Government to eradicate child poverty, even abolishing the child poverty unit.

“They tried to justify this by saying they no longer needed a child poverty unit because they’ve abolished child poverty targets.”

She demanded: “Can you tell us what level of poverty he considers to be a success.”

Mr Dowden hit back: “This comprehensive schoolboy is not going to take any lectures from the party opposite about the lives of working people.”

Ms Rayner joked that he was the third deputy PM had faced at the despatch box in three years – and added: “I’m also pleased to note that the Prime Minister has a working class friend, finally.

She said: “I seem to remember that after the loss of 300 Conservative seats at last year’s local elections, he (Oliver Dowden) resigned, saying someone must take responsibility.

“After a thousand more Conservative councillors have been given the boot by voters, who does he think it is responsible now?”

The Deputy Prime Minister took at swipe at Keir Starmer’s refusal to rule out a deal with the Lib Dems at the next election.

He replied: “I was expecting to face the Labour Leader’s choice for the next Deputy Prime Minister if they win the election.

“So I’m surprised that the Lib Dem leader isn’t taking questions today.”

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