Ideologically she identifies as a socialist and as being part of Labour's soft left. Rayner was born and raised in Stockport , where she attended the comprehensive Avondale School. She left school aged 16 whilst pregnant and without any qualifications. She later trained in social care at Stockport College and worked for the local council as a care worker. She successfully stood for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party in , and held further Shadow Cabinet positions under Keir Starmer.
Following Labour's victory in the general election , Rayner entered government and was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government by Starmer in his government. Rayner's strong support base and potential as a future leader led to the New Statesman ranking her as the eighth most powerful person in British left-wing politics for Rayner attended Avondale High School in Stockport.
At age 16, she became pregnant, and left school without obtaining any qualifications. Rayner worked for Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council as a care worker for a number of years. All the previous MPs who have represented my historic constituency have had one thing in common that I do not share: they have all been men. Today, I stand here making my maiden speech as the first woman MP to serve Ashton-under-Lyne in years, and, as the first woman MP, I promise that I will do all in my power to live up to the examples shown by my predecessors.
Of course, I could never fill their shoesโmine tend to have three-inch heels and to be rather more colourfulโbut I walk in their footsteps. We are different, and I will be different, but we are equal too.
In she sought selection to be the Labour Party's prospective parliamentary candidate for Manchester Withington. However, Jeff Smith was selected and has been the incumbent since In September , Rayner was selected as the Labour Party 's prospective parliamentary candidate for Ashton-under-Lyne. She was elected as MP for Ashton-under-Lyne at the general election with At the general election , Rayner was re-elected as MP for Ashton-under-Lyne with an increased vote share of Rayner nominated Andy Burnham in the Labour leadership election , but was one of just 18 MPs to back the incumbent Jeremy Corbyn against Owen Smith in the leadership election.
