Angela Rayner criticises Rishi Sunak for self-declaring as 'King of the North' while visiting key battleground

Angela Rayner joined Labour’s candidate for Dinnington John Vjestica and Jake Richards, the parliamentary candidate for Rother Valley, on Friday alongside some councillors from Rotherham Town Hall.

Ms Rayner visited the ward after a by-election was scheduled for the vacant seat of Charlie Woording (Conservative) who had to step down (attendance) recently.

Angela Rayner told the Local Democracy Service that the “path to change” runs through Rother Valley.

She said: “I’m in Rother Valley to support our Parliamentary candidate Jake Richards and our candidate in the Dinnington by-election John Vjestica.

“The Tory councillor here couldn’t be bothered to turn up to a meeting for six months, and took the taxpayers’ money. Now, in a cost of living crisis, Dinnington needs a strong voice like John standing up to the Tory government.

“We’re working hard to regain the trust of those who left us last election. I know Jake Richards is working tirelessly for communities here, fighting for every vote, and will make a brilliant local, accessible and active MP for the area. The path to change and a Labour government runs through Rother Valley.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also visited South Yorkshire on Friday – he was in Doncaster where he was speaking at the Northern Research Group (NRG) conference and declared himself as “the Prime Minister of the North”.

Mr Sunak, originally from Southampton, has been the MP for Richmond in North Yorkshire since 2015.

Ms Rayner said: “After 13 years of Tory government, where the north has suffered more as a result of their decisions, it takes some brass neck for Rishi Sunak to call himself the King of the North.

“People here in Dinnington don’t buy that for a minute. They know the Tories have let them down.”

Labour’s candidate Mr Vjestica won a by-election in Dinnington in 2017 but then lost his seat (alongside the other two Labour ward members) during the 2021 local elections.

This time he will go against Julia Hall (Conservatives) and Dave Smith (Independent, chair of Dinnington Town Council) for the vacant seat – however, the list could grow further as the candidates have until June 16 to submit their nomination papers.

Residents in the ward have until midnight on June 27 to register to vote if they are not already on the electoral register and the deadline for new postal votes or to change or cancel existing postal and proxy votes is the day after, at 5pm on June 28.

The deadline for applying to vote by proxy is 5pm on July 5.