“It’s not about us, but about our chance to change the lives of others, and from wherever I sit on these benches, I will fight with everything I have to do exactly that” said The Greater Manchester MP Angela Rayner as she made he first speech in the House of Coomons since her resignation as a minister
‘People’ she said ‘wrote me off, assumed that I’d be on benefits the whole of my life.’
Politics she said is about having the chance to change the lives of others.
‘As tough as politics can be, it is nothing compared to what thousands of my constituents and this country face every single day.’
Over the stamp duty issue that led to her downfall she insisted it was “an honestly-made mistake, but when you make a mistake you take responsibility.”
“I am of course corresponding with HMRC and they have my full cooperation.” adding
There is no excuse not to pay taxes owed and I will do so’
While she championed the Emoloyment rights bill going thru the chamber
“Labour is at its best when we are bold – and I have been so proud to work alongside some of the trade unionists who nurtured and supported me, to deliver the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation.”
Rayner said that it has fallen to Labour government’s “to strengthen the hand of working people”.
“In 1945, it was maternity pay, the NHS and homes for heroes out of the ruins of war.
“In the 1970s, it was Barbara Castle and the fight for Equal Pay. In the 1990s, it was the minimum wage.
“And despite the opposition – because of the work of this Labour Government, we have the opportunity to write a new chapter of justice and fairness for working people.”
