JOB INSECURITY
Angela Rayner SNUBBED from top-level government security committee, Sir Keir Starmer confirms
The Sun revealed last month that now-axed Sue Gray had also been attending
ANGELA Rayner has been snubbed from the National Security Council, Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed.
The Deputy PM does not have a permanent seat on the government’s high-level committee - despite Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden making the cut.
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Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Defence Secretary John Healey and Attorney General Richard Hermer are also on the NSC.
The Sun revealed last month that Sue Gray had also been attending the secretive meetings until she was axed as chief of staff.
Ms Rayner has been given a position on the NSC Resilience sub-committee - a less exclusive group that is chaired by Mr McFadden rather than the PM.
Previous deputy PMs like Oliver Dowden, Dominic Raab, Damian Green and Nick Clegg had a full seat on the committee.
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Ms Rayner has been dogged by reports of being side-lined by Sir Keir, which No10 has always denied.
The NSC is the most senior and secretive of Cabinet committees and is also attended by top military figures.
Its objective is to "consider the strategic approach to national security, foreign policy, resilience, international relations, economic security, trade, development, defence and global issues".
Its membership was disclosed by the government today, having been updated for the first time since the election.
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The PM's official spokesman denied it was a "snubbing", saying: "All Cabinet committees include a range of secretaries of state, usually relevant to their portfolio.
"As you can see on the list of attendees meeting, attendees are not fixed and ministers are always invited according to the specific agenda of the meeting."
This newspaper revealed last month how the PM has insisted on a weekly audience with the heads of MI6, MI5, GCHQ, the Joint Intelligence Committee and Armed Forces.
With both Ukraine and the Middle East demanding attention, Sir Keir is holding meetings after Cabinet every Tuesday.
Ms Rayner chairs the Cabinet committee on the "future of work".
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