Angela Rayner has pledged that the next leader of the Labour party will be a woman - as she gave a hint about her own future.
The MP for Ashton-under-Lyne and said she would 'never say never' when asked about her own desire to become the leader of the current opposition party, during an event with The Global Institute for Women's Leadership.
Born and raised on a council estate in Stockport, the mum-of-three, who is also deputy leader of the Labour Party, spoke about the barriers women like herself face getting into politics.
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When questioned why her party has never seen a female leader, Rayner promised to push to ensure the next person to take over from current leader, Keir Starmer, would be female.
"I do think we will get a woman leader," she said. "The talent is there. Whether it's me or someone else I will push to make sure there is a female leader after Keir Starmer."
Asked whether she would ever consider the role herself, Rayner said: "I'll never say never. With Boris Johnson the bar is so low that imposter syndrome has completely evaporated for me.
"I'd like to aim a bit higher than that but it did prove anyone can be prime minister.
"The most important thing for me is being in the place I'll make the most difference and recognising what is right for you. Who knows. If I think I can do it and I think I'm the right person for the country at the time I will do it."
Speaking to former Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, at King's College London on Wednesday (21 June), Rayner spoke of the 'cultural' barriers that have prevented women becoming successful politicians.
"I don't know why we've not had a female Labour leader yet," she said. "Maybe part of the problem is a culture problem. You have to surrender so much of your life. Women in the 21st century want to have it all but the truth is I've had to be absent from my son's lives.
"Ironically I felt like a better mum when I was 16. I am away four days a week and my children are in Manchester. Until we make parliament more friendly in terms of work-life balance we'll have the same problem."
Rayner told the event she was proud of the gender diversity that exists within the Labour party, and said she was confident by having more female politicians in the shadow cabinet would lead to better election results.
"Having that diverse team is the number one thing Labour has done to represent women," she said. "We've got the likes of Harriet Harman and Yvette Cooper who have been pushing on this for years.
"We will have better policies and we will win as a result of being more diverse."
