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Angela Rayner, the Housing Secretary, mocked Wes Streeting, now the Defence Secretary, during an after-dinner speech at the Trade Unions Congress in Brighton. Rayner took aim at Streeting for his failed attempt to challenge Keir Starmer’s leadership earlier this year, referencing previous jabs he made about her and Louise Haigh. She joked that Streeting's inability to count to 81 indicated his lack of support among MPs for a potential coup, while also mocking his ambition for an education portfolio despite his political setbacks.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-15,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Angela Rayner, the Housing Secretary, mocked Wes Streeting, now the Defence Secretary, during an after-dinner speech at the Trade Unions Congress dinner on Monday night. Rayner's remarks were in response to Streeting’s previous jabs and his failed attempt earlier this year to challenge for the Labour leadership against Sir Keir Starmer. Streeting had resigned from the Cabinet after calling on Sir Keir to step down as prime minister. Both Rayner and Streeting were rumored to be considering running for leader but instead supported Andy Burnham, despite their ongoing rivalry. This latest incident highlights the continuing tension within the Labour Party’s senior ranks.
Written for “UK Political Rivalry” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 12219 · logged 2026-09-15
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Angela Rayner has taken revenge against Wes Streeting as she mocked his failed attempt at a leadership challenge earlier this year.
The Housing Secretary used an after-dinner speech to poke fun at her Cabinet rival who is now the Defence Secretary.
Mr Streeting resigned from Sir Keir Starmer's Cabinet earlier this year and called on him to quit as prime minister.
asserted
Streeting → see → minister
He was widely expected to run for the leadership though following days of speculation and suggestions he lacked support, gave his backing to Andy Burnham.
asserted
he → expect → Burnham
Ms Rayner – who left the Cabinet after failing to pay stamp duty – was also rumoured to be running after she was cleared of deliberate wrongdoing by HMRC.
asserted
she → leave → HMRC
But she also gave her backing to Mr Burnham – though the rivalry that was stoked between them then shows no signs of diminishing now.
asserted
that → give → signs
At Monday night's annual Trade Unions Congress dinner, she reminded those gathered that Mr Streeting had previously made jokes about her and First Secretary of State Louise Haigh.
asserted
Streeting → remind → State
Ms Haigh resigned as transport secretary under Sir Keir when it emerged she had been convicted of fraud over a missing work phone.
asserted
she → resign → phone
Angela Rayner has taken revenge against Wes Streeting as she mocked his failed attempt at a leadership challenge earlier this year
Referring to the past comments, Ms Rayner said: 'Last time [Mr Streeting] gave an after-dinner speech he had a few jokes about us both.
asserted
he → take → us
I remember it well.
asserted
I → remember → it
I'd just come back from meeting the pope.
asserted
I → come → pope
I was also introduced to a young ambitious cardinal tipped for the top — or the Vatican's Wes Streeting as they called him.
asserted
they → introduce → him
He didn't get the votes either.'
asserted
He → get → votes
She added: 'Anyway, Louise and I were delighted Wes joined us back in Cabinet.
asserted
Wes → add → Cabinet
I think Louise advised the prime minister to make him defence secretary because he's the one Cabinet member we know can't organize a coup.'
asserted
we → think → coup
She later mocked him for failing to get the necessary 81 supportive MPs he would have needed to topple Sir Keir.
asserted
he → mock → Keir
She told union barons and delegates gathered for the event in Brighton: 'He wanted education of course.
asserted
He → tell → course
But unfortunately he can't count to 81.
asserted
he → count → 81
A spokesman for Mr Streeting, who was present at the event, told Politico: 'Contrary to the rumours, Wes travelled home safely in a car rather than an ambulance, despite being murdered by Angela Rayner in her speech.'
asserted
Wes → tell → speech
Ms Rayner had waited a long time for her revenge after Mr Streeting mocked her in a speech at the Spectator magazine's Parliamentarian of the Year awards in December 2024.
asserted
Streeting → wait → December
He made a joke about how Pat McFadden was the real deputy prime minister – despite it being Ms Rayner's role at the time.
asserted
it → make → time
Referring to Ms Haigh's fraud conviction, he said: 'I love Louise,' he went on.
asserted
he → refer → Louise
'And I'm going to call her tomorrow on one of her phones.'
asserted
I → go → phones
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