Labour aide says she cheated in election

A SENIOR Labour Party activist has told The Mail on Sunday that she quit in disgust because Angela Rayner ‘cheated’ during her election campaign.

Sylvia Harrop accused the Labour Deputy Leader of breaking party rules by beginning her campaign to become an MP two months before her rivals in the run-up to the 2015 General Election.

At the time, Ms Rayner was bidding to become Labour’s candidate for Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, and Mrs Harrop was secretary of the constituency Labour Party.

‘To my mind, Angela cheated and I was disgusted with the Labour Party so I left,’ said Mrs Harrop, a party member for 40 years. ‘Angela began campaigning around eight weeks before all of her competitors which gave her an unfair advantage. She broke Labour Party rules which instructed all candidates to start electioneering at the same time.’

Ms Rayner was elected with a majority of more than 10,000 and was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Education by then leader Jeremy Corbyn the following year.

According to Mrs Harrop, other party officials were also shocked. ‘When we found out, we all walked out in disgust, except for the treasurer, because we abided by Labour Party rules and so should she. I told Angela off as she tried to excuse herself to me.

‘I said nothing excused what she had done. I told her it was wrong... I let her know how disappointed I was with her. It had never been done before so why should she get away with it?’

Mrs Harrop said she was surprised Ms Rayner was not reprimanded for breaking the rules. ‘We thought there might have been consequences but the regional and national offices backed her,’ she said. ‘I’d been in the party for 40 years and I’d had enough. I just told them I was standing down.

She added: ‘I remember [Ms Rayner] asked if I’d go out for a drink with her.

‘I didn’t drink during the day, so I said no. I wouldn’t have gone in any case because there were four other candidates, and it wouldn’t have been fair on them.

‘I was the secretary and been chosen for the selection panel so it wasn’t right. I know that Angela went round to other members asking them for their support.’

A Labour source said that Ms Rayner had been legitimately selected as a Labour candidate.

‘When we found out, we all walked out in disgust’