Rachel Reeves and Angela Rayner set to clash over workers rights bill as PM sends Cabinet into reshuffle frenzy
RACHEL Reeves and Angela Rayner are on a collision course over the government’s flagship workers rights bill.
The Chancellor is expected to try to water down the plans to ban zero hour contracts and impose day one workers rights after being warned they could wreck her economic sums.
But Deputy PM Ms Rayner is leading on the Bill – which is a key part of her policy agenda.
A government insider said: “Angela and Rachel get on OK – but their teams hate each other. They just don’t trust each other.”
The flagship bill is meant to ban “exploitative zero hour contracts” and give employees rights from “day one”.
Details are all being thrashed out in consultation and are expected to water them down by setting a probationary period of up to a year and exempting seasonal workers from the crackdown.
Team Reeves insisted she gets on very well with Ms Rayner.
The brewing row comes as Sir Keir Starmer has sparked Cabinet reshuffle rumours by calling in some of his top ministers for a grilling on their brief.
The PM usually does “stock takes” one on one with a Cabinet minister every six weeks.
But he is hauling some in more regularly – including Net Zero minister Ed Miliband.
It has sparked chatter these ministers are on “special measures” and could be in the firing line when it comes to a reshuffle.
A No10 source downplayed this talk saying it was just a more regular check in on flagship government policies.
But one insider said: “There is reshuffle chatter. Keir does regular stock takes with his ministers but some have been hauled in more regularly.
“Most people expect Keir to promote some of the new MPs in his reshuffle – the class of 2024. The idea that you have to have done your time before you get a big job isn’t really for him.”
Newbie Labour MP Georgia Gould and Josh Simons are being tipped for big promotions in a reshuffle.