Angela Raynor being talked about as possible leader? Surely not.

[Ozgirl76]

I get the point of Raynor - she’s the modern Prescott, the “Everyman”, the one who the trad Labour voters might identify with, with the vaping, clubbing and tax evasion.

But as a leader on the world stage? Have we learnt nothing from Boris? Having a deeply unserious leader is surely not what the U.K. needs now, in this time of global turmoil?

Honestly if she becomes leader the U.K. will be an absolute laughing stock.

Is your objection because she’s working class? A northerner? A woman?

I hope not but who knows? It's abundantly clear you don't have to be of good character to lead the country.

It depends on the HMRC investigation I think and whether she is fined or not as to whether she can be put forward as a serious candidate.

I think she'd be excellent.

she’s the modern Prescott, the “Everyman”, the one who the trad Labour voters might identify with, with the vaping, clubbing and tax evasion.

wow Prescott has really gone up in my estimation, what a cool guy, vaping! Go, Prescott. And of course because I vote labour, I wear a cloth cap and talk Northern and off clubbing.

What I don’t understand is how her transgressions regarding her council tax/stamp duty/whatever it was with that flat were so serious she had to step down as deputy leader but only months later she’s now possibly going to be leader. Has that tax dodging incident been forgotten?

Still under investigation I believe.

Probably more the tax evasion.

Well you would like to think so- but no party seems terribly good at due diligence and awfully good at turning a blind eye to conduct if they think it will give them an advantage in the polls.

It’s a joke ! She surely can’t be prime minister if she’s under investigation. Do people seriously have no shame?

I cant see how she can be leader, because of the HMRC thing. I think she is being touted because the sectarianism within the Labour Party means they cant find one person ( out of 120 MPs ) that they all agree on.

Well she's going to get press approval because she's pro apartheid and the media are owned by people who don't have UK values

If she does we lurch from bad to worse. It would be the cherry on top of the fucking cake. Where are all the politicians of substance now? We seem to have a series of sub standard, fleeting politicians- who briefly fly high and then plummet.

How is she pro apartheid?

I think the hate for Angela Rayner (and Rachel Reeves) is misogyny and a storm whipped up by the right wing press. I know you are going to say - disgusting tax evasion because the above but what she had was a complicated housing situation because divorce and disabled child. What she did was be inconsistent/ untruthful about which was her primary residence.

Yes I do think she should have known better than to do that but I don't think it makes her uniquely awful.

It is a shame as I think Labour have been really bad at promoting women and this is what happens when they do.

You don't have to be of good character to try to lead the country. Actually leading the country may be different 😉

I don’t see how she can stand for leadership unless she is completely cleared of any wrongdoing by HMRC.

And if they do that I won’t bother paying the correct amount of stamp duty next time I move house because apparently all you have to do is say sorry if caught.

The Labour Party do have other possible candidates and better to pick one of those I think than someone already involved in a scandal.

Have you read any press about Angela Rayner at all?

It's very sad that our expectations of the character, honesty and values of political leaders are so low now.

She might be as many Labour Party MPs are keen. The HMRC issue could slow down the bid but after that.

What happened with Wes, he was one of the favourites or has that slipped through his fingers now

Please, please explain exactly what you mean by ‘pro-apartheid’, @SpringIsCome

Agreed.

Mine is because she's a lying cheat.

Yes. I'm intruiged by that.