Rayner's Partner Sparks Lobbying Fury

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is facing renewed scrutiny after it was revealed her partner, Sam Tarry, works for a lobbying group that received hundreds of thousands of pounds in Labour government funding. The revelation, first reported by The Daily Mail, has led to fresh accusations of hypocrisy from critics, who highlight Rayner's previous promises to clamp down on lobbying activities.

The controversy centers on Henham Strategy, a consultancy firm where Mr. Tarry is an advisor. The company, which specializes in influencing "key decision-makers," was recently awarded a substantial grant. According to The Sun, one of Henham Strategy's clients, a group of councils and business partnerships in the South West of England known as Great South West, received an exceptional one-off grant of £281,250 from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG). This department falls directly under the Deputy Prime Minister's brief.

The relationship between Mr. Tarry and Ms. Rayner, which has been described as "on-and-off," has been a subject of public and media interest. Mr. Tarry, a former Labour MP for Ilford South and Shadow Transport Minister, has been an advisor for Henham Strategy since leaving Parliament. The firm's managing director, Nick King, is a former Tory aide and a friend of Mr. Tarry, with the two having played together on the parliamentary rugby team. Mr. King has publicly boasted of his close working relationship with Ms. Rayner's department, a claim that has now come back to haunt the Deputy PM.

A Contradiction in Principles

The new storm is particularly damaging for Ms. Rayner because it appears to contradict her previous strong stance against lobbying. In a 2021 speech, she stated that a Labour government would "ban former Ministers from lobbying for at least five years after they leave office," adding, "No ifs, no buts. No exceptions." While Mr. Tarry was never a cabinet minister, his former position as an MP and shadow minister places him in a sphere where his work for a lobbying firm could be seen as a direct conflict of interest.

The Daily Mail's reporting follows a string of other controversies involving the Deputy Prime Minister. Earlier this year, questions were raised about her property portfolio after it was revealed she had purchased a third home—an £800,000 seaside apartment in Hove. She also owns a £650,000 house in her constituency of Ashton-under-Lyne and has a grace-and-favour flat in Admiralty House, Whitehall. The latest reports also allege that she split the ownership of her constituency home with a trust, leading to speculation about potential inheritance tax advantages, which have been a subject of public debate as the government considers a new wealth tax.

The Daily Mail has contacted Ms. Rayner's office and Henham Strategy for comment, but a response has not yet been received. The unfolding scandal raises significant questions about the government's commitment to transparency and its stated principles regarding the "revolving door" between politics and lobbying.

Source: Daily Mail