SECURITY SCANDAL: Rayner's Bodyguards Used as Removal Men in New Row

Angela Rayner, the former Deputy Prime Minister and MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, is facing a fierce new wave of criticism after her publicly funded close-protection officers were seen assisting her partner, Sam Tarry, in moving personal belongings between their two homes. The incident, which was captured in photographs, shows two security officers helping the former Labour MP transport bags and boxes in a taxpayer-funded BMW X5 between Ms Rayner's Hove property and Mr Tarry's flat in Brighton—a journey of only three miles.

The security detail and the high-value vehicle are paid for by the public purse at a significant daily cost, allocated to Ms Rayner due to a "heightened and active security risk" that her spokesperson cited, noting her Hove property had recently been targeted with misogynistic graffiti. However, critics swiftly rounded on the fact that Ms Rayner herself was not present during the moves, and the security team was apparently being used for private, domestic errands.

The Political Fallout and What Comes Next

This latest controversy comes less than a month after Ms Rayner was forced to resign from her Cabinet and Deputy Labour Leader roles. That resignation followed a finding by the Prime Minister's ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, that she breached the Ministerial Code by failing to meet the "highest standards" in relation to her property purchase where she underpaid stamp duty by an estimated £40,000.

The new incident has led to renewed accusations of entitlement and misuse of privilege. Tory Chairman Kevin Hollinrake demanded an explanation, saying, "The public deserves to know whether she has been abusing these privileges and taking them for a ride yet again." Reform UK's Richard Tice added that her "removals should not be funded by the taxpayer."

The immediate political future of the situation hinges on two core elements: a potential review of the rules and Ms Rayner's damaged public standing.

Call for a Review of Security Protocols

While Ms Rayner’s spokesperson defended the officers, claiming they were facilitating the move "to minimise risk to her security," critics like Tory MP Ben Obese-Jecty argued, "Highly trained close-protection officers shouldn't be moonlighting as removal men." This clash between personal security needs and appropriate use of public funds is highly likely to trigger a formal investigation or review by parliamentary authorities into the operational guidelines for MP security details. Such a review would be necessary to clarify what tasks are permissible under the mandate of "close protection" and prevent future similar controversies over the use of expensive, publicly funded resources for non-security domestic tasks.

The Future of a Political Powerhouse

Ms Rayner, a prominent figure and symbol of the Labour Party’s working-class roots, remains an MP and a powerful presence on the backbenches. While Sir Keir Starmer's acceptance of her resignation from government was regretful, this second significant scandal in quick succession makes a return to the frontbench highly problematic in the near term.

The pattern of controversies—from her previous tax affairs to the use of security for her partner's private affairs—undermines her credibility and hands a potent weapon to political opponents. The path to her political rehabilitation is now significantly steeper. To rebuild her standing and protect her future career, she will be under immense pressure to maintain a low profile, focus solely on her constituency work, and strictly adhere to the highest ethical standards going forward. Any hope of an immediate leadership role or cabinet position has been effectively halted by the perception of continuous bad judgment regarding the use of public resources.