Angela Rayner’s ignominious departure from Government marked the downfall of a modern Labour star, who only weeks ago had been tipped as a future prime minister.

Her loss is a blow to Labour: a remarkable backstory of northern woman done good, working her way up from a deprived childhood through the trades union movement to serve as one of the Government’s most senior players, connecting to parts of the Labour coalition and wider electorate Sir Keir Starmer can’t reach.

But it also plunged his administration into fresh turmoil, blowing apart his attempt to embark on a more successful “phase two” as he was forced into a wider reshuffle of his Cabinet .

In Birmingham, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was gleeful , bringing forward his keynote conference speech by three hours to react t

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