I LIVE just down the road from the house where Angela Rayner once lived.
It is in an area much like that depicted in Coronation Street.
Full of hard-working, down-to-earth people who generally look out for each other and care about one another.
It is full of the kind of people Labour hopes will vote for them.
And Angela Rayner was firmly one of them. That is why she was so popular up and down the land.
From tongue scraping to saying no, here are 12 health trends to try in 2023
She is a woman that called a spade a spade.
What you saw with her was what you got and she didn’t need big fancy words and ridiculous statements to make her point.
For a politician that was utterly refreshing.
But no more.
Because, whatever now happens in the reopened probe by Greater Manchester Police into claims she broke electoral law, the public can no longer ever have the same trust or belief in her.
It is impossible because that straight-talking Angela who we once respected has gone.
She is now talking about “tax advice” and “principal properties”.
There was a time when Angela gave colourful, detailed tales about her tough upbringing.
But now she doesn’t even want to explain to us where she once lived.
In a few months, bar a political earthquake, she will become Deputy Prime Minister.
How to de-clutter if you have a beauty stash to last you a lifetime
That means that her house must truly be in order, her financial dealings must bear absolutely no stain.
Angela should have been transparent about them from day one. But it is too late to backtrack now.
And, deep down, Angela knows it. For her to leave a campaign event via a back door to avoid protests was a sign how far she has already fallen.
Even as she declared she would quit if she was found to have acted criminally, the unreserved Angela didn’t emerge.
Mealy-mouthed Angela instead said she will “do the right thing and step down” if she is found to have committed a crime — leaving the prospect she could cling to her job even if further murky details about her tax affairs emerge.
Her actions over the past few weeks have shone a light on Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
For a man who was once a barrister and Director of Public Prosecutions it is baffling that he has not yet bothered to look at the paperwork surrounding her case.
Instead, in a high-handed manner, he says has left it to his “team”.
The Labour leader seemed like a man who, unlike Boris Johnson or Liz Truss, was across the detail.
But his refusal to act or even properly answer questions about his deputy raises makes you seriously wonder about his judgment — even before he moves into Downing Street.
And as this row drags into its eighth week, it is overshadowing whatever policies Labour wants to advertise.
Some of her colleagues have tried to have her back in recent days too.
Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Angela hasn’t broken any rules and she was being “smeared” because she is a “northern woman”.
Yes she is a northern woman — just like those on Coronation Street — who are generally seen as open and straight talking.
But that is something you could never say about Angela right now.
PRICEY IS NOT RIGHT
THERE was a time when I respected Katie Price.
I thought she was a shrewd businesswoman – the riding gear, the books, the TV shows.
But now I think she is a selfish joke. She is a DOUBLE bankrupt who hasn’t even bothered to cooperate in paying back the £3.2million she owes in tax and mortgage payments.
So she’s flogging her “Mucky Mansion” down south.
Not as you would hope so she can pay back her debts, but because she’s eyeing up a £2.5million mansion in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
I bet anybody she owes a penny to is thrilled. What a role model.
I wonder how much in debt she will really need to be before she starts to do the right thing.
A NEW study has found that eating kippers instead of a full English could help to slash your risk of an early death.
Some 750,000 lives could be saved worldwide by 2050 if people ate more forage fish – including herring, sardines and anchovies – instead of red meat.
But before we all bin our bacon and sausages for a new health kick, maybe we should consider just how much our houses would stink.
I think I’ll take my chances . . .
A FLIGHT from Manchester to Dublin on Friday reminded me why I have never bothered having a hen do.
I saw groups in fancy dress downing vodka shots at 6am before hopping on the plane to the Emerald Isle with the lucky brides-to-be wearing veils and posing for endless photos.
I may regret lots of things about my first marriage, but putting myself at risk of being forced to wear a plastic penis on my head isn’t one of them.
Just how do they stay so flawless?
BOTH Gwen Stefani and Jennifer Lopez have appeared in stunning photoshoots.
Gwen to push her band’s reunion and J-Lo for an underwear range.
They are both 54 and both look amazing, without a single wrinkle between them.
Gwen says her youthful look is down to exercise, eating the right things and hydration.
J-Lo says one of her “beauty secrets” is sunscreen.
Oh, let’s all try that then – or realise that they’re talking cobblers.
If I could actually raise my own eyebrow I would, because I am sure one of their beauty “secrets” is a good dose of Botox, and it stings that they don’t do the decent thing and admit it to all those who aspire to be just like them.
SO, ridiculous new campaign The Start for Life programme has been launched by the Department of Health to dispel previous advice that “tough love” is the best way to raise kids.
Apparently we can now all give our babies a good old cuddle and not leave them to cry for hours without comforting the poor blighters.
In fact, we can be normal, loving parents.
And this campaign cost £300million. What a waste of OUR money.
ACTRESS Imelda Staunton went to a charity event this week wearing one of the blouses she kept after playing Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown.
How fantastic. But surely the smuggest member of the cast is Elizabeth Debicki.
Imagine wandering around in Diana’s outfits, the most stylish wardrobe of all time.
META’S SWITCH CRUEL
WHEN it comes to technology, I am a shocking parent.
I am not proud of it. My five-year-old son watches kids’ shows and plays games on an iPad – and loves it.
So do I. Because as a busy mum it is a lifesaver and helps me get by.
But the thought of how he will be in the future sends a chill down my spine.
I can envisage a time where he will want to use social media too. And unless I’ve transformed into a supermum with loads more time on my hands, I know I will probably give in.
One thing that would help would be to wheel out: “You’re not allowed, you’re too young, none of your friends can use it either until you’re all about to go to secondary school. So there.”
Job done. But Meta has just lowered the age that kids can use WhatsApp to 13 from 16, which has just caused me three years of pain.
Thanks a lot. What an utterly ridiculous thing to do.
There are already concerns that the messaging app is fostering cyber bullying, sleep deprivation and harmful content among children.
Lowering it to 13, the year kids become teenagers is cruel on them – and cruel on parents like me.
Meanwhile, Meta is laughing all the way to the bank.
NEWCASTLE United are worshipped in my house by The Geordie and I now think they’re pretty ace, too.
For today’s 4-0 victory over Spurs deaf fans like Ryan Gregson and David Wilson wore new shirts with sensors which allowed them to “feel” the atmosphere at St James’ Park.
Let’s hope they are the first of many teams to introduce the technology.
