Angela Rayner MP: speeches

Speeches

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Absolutely. Devolution is at the heart of our plans to rewire the state. I am making this statement today exactly to ensure that that happens.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Absolutely; the Minister and I will happily meet my hon. Friend as part of this programme. The new Prime Minister has made absolutely clear that we want growth in every postcode; in order for the UK—and England in particular—to raise its growth agenda, every area needs to feel that. The Chancellor made a statement earlier today about how he sees that as a priority and about devolution being part of that programme. We will be in touch with my hon. Friend to support his area.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the work that she is doing to represent her Amber Valley constituents. As I have said, there is a pause while we review the programme. I am sure that the Local Government Minister will arrange a meeting with her and local leaders to ensure that we have a full understanding of Amber Valley’s challenges and opportunities, so that we can take this forward.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is right that we have to review the process and learn lessons. As I said to the right hon. Member for North East Cambridgeshire (Steve Barclay), we are announcing our new permanent secretary, who I am sure will be listening to this debate and will want to take this forward. I want to place on record my thanks to the dedicated, professional public servants from both central and local government who have worked on this, and to my predecessor. I want to reassure the House that I have taken this action, as Secretary of State, to ensure that I have all the facts, so that I can make the decision.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I say gently to the hon. Member that what we are trying to achieve is working with local members to get better outcomes for local people. That is why I have made a decision to pause and review this. I am happy for him to meet the Minister who will be taking this forward, and ensure that his views, and those of his local members, are fully engaged and part of this process. I believe as a principle that local government reform can unlock great potential for local areas. I remain committed to that, but I am going to do it properly and right.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for his comments; I believe that he enjoyed the Westminster Hall debate with the Local Government Minister. I am sure that the Minister would like to continue that conversation to ensure that we get the best deal over the line. I do not want to pre-empt the review, but I want to ensure that we have heard from the hon. Member and his local representatives about the challenges. I am sure that the Minister will set a meeting up in his diary as soon as possible, so that we expedite the process.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I pay tribute to the hon. Lady’s local leaders and the work that they are doing in local government. I recognise the challenges that they face, and I have outlined what has happened to local government over the decade and a half that her Government were in power. I have tried to build up that resilience for local leaders. Previous Ministers chose to take more time to consider the proposals—she referenced two of the places involved—and we will consider these alongside the wider review of the programme.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I agree with my hon. Friend. In our past lives, we worked in local government and on local government policy for some time. We have to take time to get this policy right, and he is right to make the distinction between local government reform and devolution, but the two can intertwine to help us on our way. This review does not impact on the timetable for devolution. Unitary local government can help with smoothing the functions of strategic authorities, but that is not a prerequisite.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise those issues. We want to ensure that we get this right and work with local leaders; I am sure that she will have the opportunity to speak with Ministers and my officials as we look at the review.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Again, Madam Deputy Speaker, let me gently say that this is not a U-turn. This is me, as Secretary of State, reviewing the position and ensuring that we get this right. I still believe that local government reform in the right hon. Lady’s area in particular can deliver for her constituents, and I want them to engage with us. We have provided transitional funding to give support, and her local authorities and those in her local areas can get in touch with my Department to discuss it.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Well, Madam Deputy Speaker, Sherwood Forest and a local country park—I am really up for that. When I was in the Lake district over the bank holiday weekend, though, I managed to fall halfway down a mountain—that is why my legs are not used to bouncing up and down at the moment, because my knees are not so good—so I am hoping that the park will be a bit flatter and that the gradient will be a little better for me. My hon. Friend asks if we can meet, and I am sure that the relevant Minister will be happy to meet her to discuss how we can progress, ensuring that her area, including Sherwood Forest, benefits from devolution and local government.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Absolutely, and I commend my hon. Friend for his years of service to local government. I had the privilege and honour to be reappointed as Secretary of State, and my No. 1 priority is to get it right for hon. Members, including those from different political parties who have invested so much into local government because they believe that it will unlock potential and support for their constituents. I want to ensure that I have taken the time to get this right, and that is why I have made the decision.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Let me gently say to the right hon. Member that, as I have already said, I think that local government reform can unlock potential for areas, but we want to do this with areas, and, indeed, to look into how we can deliver for his area and improve services for his local constituents.. There are opportunities, but sometimes there is duplication, so I welcome that discussion. As for taking forward the devolution agenda, I do not envisage that being interrupted by this process.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I recognise the amount of work that local leaders, my hon. Friend and others have put into this matter. Effective and sustainable local government is key to our ambitions on devolution, and as part of that we are looking at the overall programme timings, but we are not moving back from local government reform—I absolutely believe in that. As the Secretary of State, I am ensuring that I review those decisions and take them forward in a way that satisfies me that I have delivered what is expected of me in my obligations to this House. I would rather come to this House and say, “I have had to put in a delay to satisfy myself of that,” than make in haste and regret at leisure.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Absolutely, and I commend my hon. Friend for the work he has been undertaking as well. After 14 years of the Conservatives, who took money out of local government and, in fact, boasted about taking money out of the most deprived areas, I was clear that I would work to rebuild the foundations and resilience of local government. Local government reorganisation for me is about ensuring that local areas feel the benefits and also can take forward devolution. I want to ensure that I get that right as Secretary of State, and that is why I have made the decision today.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I gently say to the hon. Member that while I appreciate she uses language like “shock and anger”, it was important to me, as Secretary of State, to make the right decision, so I came to this House and spoke to hon. Members to ensure that I do that. I still believe that local government reform will unlock potential for the hon. Member’s area. I want to ensure that I am doing this with local people’s consent; I know that we cannot get everyone’s consent, but I absolutely believe that we can design services that will improve her area. We have committed to providing transition funding. Hopefully, through local government reform, we can transform some of the thorny issues that have been around for a long time, like adult social care, as the Prime Minister said, and build resilience at a local level.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend has been an absolute champion for the people of Portsmouth since being elected to Parliament, and I do not think any of us will try to take that identity away from the people of Portsmouth—I am sure that she will be pushing that. She is absolutely right to talk about devolution; we need to grasp the nettle on local government reform so that we can put areas in a strong place for devolution. We will be working with her in the coming weeks to ensure that that happens.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I am absolutely committed to making sure that areas such as Chorley and Lancashire more widely get local government reform, and that we take that forward. This is a pause. I have not taken that decision lightly, but I want to review the decisions and make sure, for my peace of mind as Secretary of State, that I have got this absolutely right; that I have taken on board the legal advice given to me recently; and that I can go to the Prime Minister, who tasked me last week with reviewing these decisions, and say that I have reviewed them and we are making the right decisions. I accept that I will not get the consent of everybody around the House, but I want to make sure that I have at least heard everybody’s views.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Again, I said that we would work at pace, but I want to be able to review these decisions to ensure that they are the right ones, respecting the court process. That means the way to do this is to withdraw and consider afresh. On the costs so far, I recognise that a lot of work has gone into the financial commitments that have been made. I say to the hon. Member that this work is not wasted, and the Government have committed to providing transitional funding.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I absolutely provide that reassurance. I needed that time. With the advice that I received during the judicial review process, and with the Prime Minister asking me to look at this again, it was only right that I did so, in a timely way. As I have reiterated, I am absolutely clear that I want to take this forward. Local government reform is a priority, and I want to undertake it at pace, as do Members across the House, including my hon. Friend and his local leaders.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I know you’re still here! I made it really clear that local government reorganisation is delivering for people across Essex. I understand the pressures on local services. Essex does have a need for more housing and more infrastructure, and a need for local government reform. This Government are there to work with the local people of Essex to deliver that.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Again, I do not see local government reorganisation as a wasted endeavour. I have been really clear about the reason for the pause: to get the decision right. We have committed to providing transitional funding. Where local government reform has happened in the past, we have seen that there have been savings, but my motivation is to work with local authorities to improve their services. Local authorities recognise that we could do that. I am absolutely committed to continuing that, and we will work at pace to deliver for the hon. Member’s area.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I think it is fair to say that there is a very strong argument and rationale for it. I will make sure that the review happens speedily and that we can give those reassurances as part of the process after the review.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I will not drop it, because I believe that the people of Essex and people all over England deserve good local services. Where there is something that I believe will improve local services and is worth exploring with local leaders, whether in Essex or elsewhere, I am up for that challenge. I am not ready to drop it. I think we can work together to improve local services, and I would be happy to meet the right hon. Gentleman, or any of his local leaders, to progress that.

• 7 Sept 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  Again, at the moment I can give the hon. Member an assurance that I am looking at the areas, and that I will look to ensure that all the consultation, information and advice is correct and that we are making robust decisions. I want to ensure that I do that. I am happy for him to be in contact with the relevant Minister or myself to ensure that we hear what he is saying about that process, but I have heard him today.