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Friend of Tortoise Exclusive

Keir & Angela: can the odd couple work together?

Keir & Angela: can the odd couple work together?

This event is exclusive to Friends of Tortoise

This is a digital-only ThinkIn.

He blindsides her in a reshuffle while she claims not to know what’s going on. It’s no secret that Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner have a fractions working relationship. Almost but not quite reminiscent of the famously difficult Blair-Brown partnership. But this time the issue seems to be more personal than ideological. Rayner has political capital to burn, while Starmer struggles to make any waves. But if the Labour party is to stand any hope of re-election, then the Starmer-Rayner double act needs to convince the party and potential voters that they can work together. Could the Labour leadership emulate the Tortoise model of civilised disagreement, or can the two be reconciled… and if not – why?

editor and invited experts

Lara Spirit
Editor

Gaby Hinsliff
Guardian columnist; Author, Half a Wife: The Working Family’s Guide to Getting a Life Back

John McTernan
Political Strategist; former Political Secretary to Tony Blair

Michael Walker
Contributing Editor, Novara Media