Angela Rayner Left Out of Top Government Security Committee, Confirms Sir Keir Starmer

Details of the Snub

Deputy PM Angela Rayner has been excluded from the National Security Council, as confirmed by Sir Keir Starmer. Unlike Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden, Rayner does not have a permanent seat on the high-level government committee.

Membership and Exclusions

Other key figures on the National Security Council include Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Defence Secretary John Healey, and Attorney General Richard Hermer. Previous deputy PMs like Oliver Dowden, Dominic Raab, Damian Green, and Nick Clegg had full seats on the committee, unlike Rayner.

Resilience Sub-Committee Position

Despite the snub, Angela Rayner has been given a position on the NSC Resilience sub-committee, a less exclusive group chaired by Mr. McFadden rather than the Prime Minister.

Reactions and Denials

Reports of Rayner being sidelined by Sir Keir Starmer have circulated, although No10 has consistently denied such claims. The NSC is a highly secretive and senior Cabinet committee attended by top military figures.

Focus of the NSC

The NSC addresses national security, foreign policy, resilience, international relations, economic security, trade, development, defense, and global issues. Updated membership of the committee was disclosed by the government for the first time since the election.

Additional Insights

Recent reports indicated that the Prime Minister insists on weekly meetings with key intelligence and military heads amidst pressing issues in Ukraine and the Middle East. Angela Rayner currently chairs the Cabinet committee on the "future of work."