Labour rift deepens as Rayner senior aide suspended

In what appears to be a looming power struggle between Angela Rayner and Sir Keir Starmer, a senior aide has been suspended. The aide, Rayner’s head of communications Jack McKenna, is being investigated for a personal data breach relating to another staff member.

McKenna, who denies the breach, is consulting his legal advisers following the revelations in a Sunday newspaper. The revelation itself does suggest problems with the party’s management of data, with the added founding about his suspension from the newspaper and not the party directly.

McKenna has recently been forced to deny rumours that he had been briefing the press on differences between the two politicians. The rumours began circulating following Rayner’s attack on Tory politicians who she described as “scum”

Starmer has repeatedly denied rumours of a rift between himself and his deputy, who cannot be sacked as she was directly elected by party members. The rumours were resurrected after Starmer shuffled his cabinet earlier this week without involving Rayner in the decision and the appointments. He has also resisted attempts to weaken her position in the party by stripping her of some of her responsibilities.

Labour have not commented on the report, saying that “we never discuss staffing matters”.

No doubt this coming week will see further rumours of the growing rift between the two, the news that the senior aide has been suspended unlikely to be well received in all corners of the party.

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