Angela Rayner and Kemi Badenoch

Angela Rayner brutally mocked Kemi Badenoch today by claiming the Conservative leader’s performance in the Commons was much better when she did not actually turn up.

The deputy PM was standing in for Keir Starmer during this week’s prime minister’s questions as he is attending a Nato summit in the Netherlands.

As Badenoch is yet to actually choose a second-in-command, she has given the honour of standing in for her at PMQs to different Tory frontbenchers.

Shadow chancellor Mel Stride stood in for her this week, after shadow home secretary Chris Philp did the job last week.

And, according to Rayner, they have been vast improvements on the Tory leader herself – even though Badenoch has previously insisted she is

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