According to witnesses, Angela Rayner had been socialising for several hours on Monday evening.
Angela Rayner at The Plume of Feathers in 2021 (Image: Getty)
The halls of Westminster were reportedly rocked this week by a display of late-night revelry that left onlookers stunned and a heavy door in need of repair. Angela Rayner, the former Deputy Prime Minister and a top contender to succeed Sir Keir Starmer, allegedly found herself at the centre of a chaotic scene in the House of Commons’ Strangers’ Bar. Witnesses have described a night that began with fiery political debate and ended with a literal bang.
The incident comes just days before May’s local elections. The former deputy to Keir Starmer is widely regarded as one of the leading contenders should there be any future shift in the party’s leadership.
Angela Rayner visited The Plume of Feathers in 2021 to discuss the impact of lockdown on hospitality (Image: Getty)
Keir Starmer has faced sustained criticism since entering office in July 2024, with critics pointing to a series of policy U-turns that have unsettled both the party and its voter base.
His leadership has also been overshadowed by the recent controversy involving Peter Mandelson, further intensifying internal tensions at a sensitive political moment.
Witnesses told the Daily Mail that Angela Rayner collided with a door with a loud bang, with the force of the impact reportedly leaving her briefly “bent over”.
The following day, the entrance door was reportedly removed for repairs, although parliamentary sources insisted the maintenance work was unrelated to the incident. A privacy screen has also now been installed at the doorway of the bar, the Daily Mail reports.
According to reports, the evening started with Ms Rayner engaged in a heated discussion. One witness noted that she was “not holding back,” allegedly shouting, “I’m a socialist!” at her debate partner.
Another witness told the Daily Mail: “Given she’s basically weeks away from being PM, I don’t think it’s up to scratch.”
However, one ally said they spoke to Ms Rayner in between votes there and insisted she “seemed perfectly fine”.
The reports feed into a wider and increasingly heated debate about Westminster’s drinking culture. Hannah Spencer recently voiced concern after entering Parliament, saying she was struck by how “you can smell the alcohol” on MPs between votes and describing the atmosphere as “unprofessional.”
Her comments, made in an interview, quickly triggered a backlash from political opponents online. Nigel Farage was among the most vocal critics.
The Reform UK leader said: “The Greens are happy to legalise heroin and crack, but now we learn they think an afternoon pint is a step too far.”
Zack Polanski defended his colleague on X (formerly Twitter) and said that the issue was not casual drinking but whether MPs should be under the influence while making decisions that affect millions.
He wrote: “Of course Farage misrepresents what Hannah is saying. An afternoon pint is different to drinking on a work day and then going to vote on decisions for millions of people.”
A House of Commons source told the newspaper they “do not recognise” accusations that Ms Rayner caused the bar’s door to break, and that Parliament’s maintenance team is completing a full repair after making the area safe.
A spokesperson for Angela Rayner said: “This is a concoction of mischief-making.
“Angela had a glass of wine in Strangers Bar with her friends, and the notion she broke a door is total rubbish.”