Angela Rayner tipped for political comeback as Andy Burnham’s Health secretary after tax scandal

Angela Rayner has been tipped for a political comeback as Andy Burnham‘s new Health Secretary. 

Rayner, who resigned as Deputy Prime Minister after it was revealed she failed to pay £40,000 in stamp duty, is rumoured to be a front-runner for the top cabinet role.

Burnham was elected unopposed as leader of the Labour Party yesterday and is due to be handed the keys to No 10 on Monday when Sir Keir Starmer officially resigns as PM.

The former Mayor of Greater Manchester is expected to announce plans for a policy blitz with reforms to social care expected to be one of the centrepieces.

Rayner, who is herself a former care worker, will be tasked with overhauling England’s social care system. A reported £18billion has been earmarked to help set up a national care service.

Meanwhile, Baroness Casey of Blackstock is currently leading a review into the social care system which could form the backbone of Rayner’s reforms.

The review had been due to be published in 2028, but it is understood that Burnham has asked Baroness Casey to deliver the recommendations by the end of the year.

The member of the House of Lords last week signalled to MPs she would be willing to speed up the review.

Rayner, who is herself a former care worker, will be tasked with overhauling England’s social care system. A reported £18billion has been earmarked to help set up a national care service

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, one source said that Rayner was being ‘lined up’ by those in Burnham’s inner circle to lead the overhaul of care.

Rayner’s return to government would mark one of the most remarkable political comebacks in recent memory after she resigned from government following an inquiry which found she had inadvertently breached the ministerial code by failing to seek proper expert tax advice.

Burnham has remained tight-lipped on what his cabinet might look like, insisting  only that it will ‘reflect all parts of our party’.

Current Energy Secretary Ed Miliband had been hotly tipped to become the new Chancellor. 

However, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood emerged this week as the late front-runner for the top job.   

Elsewhere in the Cabinet, MPs including Jonathan Reynolds and Louise Haigh are expected to return to government. 

Reynolds could be reinstated as Business Secretary while Haigh – a former Transport Secretary – has been tipped to become Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

There could be two Milibands in Burnham’s cabinet with rumours swirling around Westminster that David Miliband could dramatically return to government as Foreign Secretary. 

Andy Burnham giving his first speech as leader of the Labour Party. He has remained tight-lipped on what his cabinet might look like, insisting only that it will ‘reflect all parts of our party’

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Shabana Mahmood embraces Andy Burnham. The current Home Secretary is a late front-runner to become Chancellor 

Rumours are swirling around Westminster that David Miliband could dramatically return to government as Foreign Secretary

David, who was Foreign Secretary during the New Labour years, was the favourite to succeed Gordon Brown as leader of Labour following the party’s defeat in the 2010 election before he was pipped for the top job by his younger brother Ed.

He was in London last week where he gave a speech pledging his support for Burnham’s plans for further devolution.

For a quick return to government, Burnham could put David into the House of Lords in a similar move to when Rishi Sunak brought Lord Cameron in as Foreign Secretary.

Of the 2024 intake, crucial Burnham ally Anneliese Midgley is expected to become chief whip.

While economist Miatta Fahnbulleh – who was one of the first members of Starmer’s government to call for him to resign after Labour’s disastrous local election results – could become secretary of state at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Burnham’s full cabinet will be announced on Monday.