Your current location:HOME >health >Three Homes Rayner? Would Labour's Deputy Leader inherit the perk of 18th 正文
TIME:2024-05-21 08:32:20 Source: Internet compilationEdit:health
Angela Rayner once described herself as 'John Prescott in a skirt' and was presumptuously billed as
Angela Rayner once described herself as 'John Prescott in a skirt' and was presumptuously billed as 'shadow deputy prime minister' when she recently wrote a column in a Labour-supporting newspaper.
But if she does become Labour's first 'DPM' since Lord Prescott, will she also be granted the perk of Dorneywood – the 18th-century house in Buckinghamshire where Prescott infamously enjoyed a game of croquet when running the country in Tony Blair's absence?
One person likely to have a view is Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves, given that use of the house is traditionally gifted by the prime minister to the chancellor.
Lord Prescott was granted use of the house because the then chancellor, Gordon Brown, felt uncomfortable with the country squire image it conveyed.
Dorneywood – the 18th-century house in Buckinghamshire where John Prescott infamously enjoyed a game of croquet when running the country in Tony Blair 's absence
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Labour's Deputy Leader Angela Rayner pictured together
If Ms Reeves follows suit, or agrees to share it, Ms Rayner would be in the enviable position of having three homes at her disposal, in addition to the properties she has in London and her Ashton-under-Lyne constituency.
The grace-and-favour government homes have been the subject of undignified squabbles in the past, with prime ministers frequently having to broker houseshare arrangements.
Prime ministers have automatic use of 16th-century Chequers in Buckinghamshire.
When Nick Clegg was deputy prime minister, during the Coalition Government, he shared Chevening, a 115-room mansion in Kent, with foreign secretary William Hague.
Similarly, when Liz Truss was Boris Johnson's foreign secretary, she had to share Chevening with her predecessor Dominic Raab, after Mr Johnson offered him the house to soften the blow of demoting him to justice secretary.
Angela Rayner pictured with leader of the Labour party Sir Keir Starmer during their local elections campaign
As she has revealed in her book, Ten Years To Save The West, which is being serialised in the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday, Ms Truss 'had a battle to get my hands on Chevening' because Mr Raab had been offered sole use of the property.
She wrote: 'Eventually, a compromise was reached: Raab and I would have access to Chevening on a timeshare basis.
'It was like an exalted student flat-share. I'd arrive for the weekend and find protein shakes labelled 'Raab' in the fridge.'
The situation was even more complicated when Theresa May was resident in Downing Street. Mr Johnson, then foreign secretary, Brexit secretary David Davis and international trade secretary Liam Fox all had to share the manor house.
When Geoffrey Howe was removed as foreign secretary by Margaret Thatcher in 1989, his bitterness at leaving Chevening is said to have contributed to the devastating resignation statement he gave in the Commons a year later, which set events in motion towards the end of Thatcher's premiership.
Dorneywood has traditionally been at the disposal of the chancellor since it was gifted to the National Trust in 1947.
Lord Prescott, 85, gave up use of the house after the MoS published the croquet pictures. It was used by Alistair Darling after Mr Brown became prime minister in 2007.
A Labour spokesman declined to comment last night.
‘The Blue Angels,’ filmed for IMAX, puts viewers in the ‘box’ with the elite flying squad2024-05-21 08:16
Giuliani bankruptcy judge frustrated with case, rebuffs attempt to challenge $148 million judgment2024-05-21 08:12
GOP legislative leaders want Democrats to drop Minnesota ERA as part of session2024-05-21 08:08
Chinese books, cultural products welcomed at int'l book fair in Morocco2024-05-21 08:00
Nadal returns to Roland Garros to practice amid doubts over fitness and form2024-05-21 07:50
DeSantis is planning to raise money for Trump in Florida, Texas2024-05-21 07:48
Russian president Putin to make a state visit to China this week2024-05-21 07:06
Baltimore bridge: Cargo ship that caused collapse had power blackout hours before leaving port2024-05-21 06:39
Six killed in a 'foiled coup' in Congo, the army says2024-05-21 06:03
Incumbent president, PM head for runoff in Lithuania's presidential race: preliminary results2024-05-21 06:01
With Djokovic awaiting the winner, Murray trails Hanfmann at rain2024-05-21 08:21
Champions League final between Real Madrid and Dortmund to be refereed by Slavko Vinčić of Slovenia2024-05-21 08:12
Miley Cyrus, Lorde and more team up for Talking Heads tribute2024-05-21 07:54
Navy surgeon who operated on 122024-05-21 07:50
Independent UN experts urge Yemen’s Houthis to free detained Baha'i followers2024-05-21 07:47
California's wealthiest farming family threatens to reshape small town with new mega2024-05-21 07:12
EPL says Everton still 'in discussions' with 777 as scrutiny ramps up on US firm2024-05-21 06:54
MAUREEN CALLAHAN: It's the Me2024-05-21 06:37
Shooting injures 2 at Missouri high school graduation ceremony2024-05-21 06:30
North Carolina bill to curb mask2024-05-21 06:20