Dominic Raab winked at Angela Rayner as he mocked her over train strikes in a fiery clash at Prime Minister’s Questions.
The Deputy Prime Minister suggested Ms Rayner was a “champagne socialist” for attending opera during the national rail walkout last week.
Mr Raab’s actions were labelled “bizarre” while Labour MP Toby Perkins (Chesterfield) tweeted: “I will never unsee Dominic Raab’s wink from the despatch box at Angela Rayner. I feel soiled.”
Ms Rayner replied on Twitter: “Imagine how I feel!”
The moment came after Ms Rayner had quoted Mr Raab’s past view that people who use food banks “simply have a cash flow problem”.
She added in the Commons at Prime Minister’s Questions: “He doesn’t. He spent over £1 million in nine months on private jets, it shows how out of touch this Government is.
“At this rate, by 2030 a million more people will be using food banks. How many more working people will be pushed into poverty by his Prime Minister before he says enough is enough?”
Mr Raab replied: “If the Labour Party, if she wants to help working people, they should be clear in standing up against these militant, reckless strikes.”
He accused Ms Rayner of having “flip-flopped” in her position on the strikes, adding: “First she said they were lose-lose, then she tweeted workers were left with no choice.
“When she was asked by the BBC – a straight question, she’s normally a straight shooting politician – do you like the RMT, she said ‘I’m going to have to go now, I’ve got a train to catch’.”
The Prime Minister is currently attending a Nato summit in Madrid so was not present at the Commons, while Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also did not attend.
But Ms Rayner said it was “no wonder that the Prime Minister has fled the country and left the honourable member to carry the can” given the Tories dismal poll numbers.
“I’d revel in the opportunity for the people of this country to have more than just by-elections to see what they think of this Government,” she said.
“Call a general election and see where the people are.”
She later hit back at Mr Raab over his “champagne socialist” jibe saying: “Dominic Raab won’t approve but I did indeed go the opera last week (it cost me £62).
Dominic Raab won’t approve but I did indeed go the opera last week (it cost me £62).
— Angela Rayner 🌹 (@AngelaRayner) June 29, 2022
Tom Eisner, a working-class lad from Buxton near where I grew up kindly invited me. He’s been playing violin at Glyndebourne for 36 years.
Never let anyone tell you you’re not good enough. 🎻 pic.twitter.com/7XE0GHBRPQ
“Tom Eisner, a working-class lad from Buxton near where I grew up kindly invited me. He’s been playing violin at Glyndebourne for 36 years.
“Never let anyone tell you you’re not good enough.”
