Angela Rayner has hit back at those who have critiqued her accent and grammar following recent appearances in the media.
The deputy leader of the Labour Party – who was born, raised, and educated in the Greater Manchester borough of Stockport – first addressed MPs in the House of Commons yesterday, before making a number of media appearances, both last night and this morning, to address the growing national concerns over the garden party hosed at 10 Downing Street on 20 May 2020, and whether Prime Minister Boris Johnson was in attendance.
Ms Rayner told MPs in the House of Commons yesterday that she was disappointed that Mr Johnson was not there in person to respond to the claims, but said that “his absence speaks volumes, as do his smirks on the media”.
“He can run, but he can’t hide,” she added.
Following her Commons address and appearances on BBC News, Sky News, ITV News, and Good Morning Britain, Ms Rayner said she has received critiques of her Greater Manchester accent and grammar, and so she took to Twitter to address it.
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Hitting back at her critics in a now-viral tweet this morning, the deputy Labour leader wrote: “I wasn’t Eton educated, but growing up in Stockport I was taught integrity, honesty and decency.
“Doesn’t mater how you say it. Boris Johnson is unfit to lead.”
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I've been on the media this morning so my accent and grammar are being critiqued.
I wasn't Eton educated, but growing up in Stockport I was taught integrity, honesty and decency.
Doesn't mater how you say it. Boris Johnson is unfit to lead.
The tweet has gone on to amass thousands of likes, retweets, and comments from people showing their support for the Aston-under-Lyne MP.
Ms Rayner’s comments came before this afternoon’s Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs).
They, of course, also come after on Monday, ITV published a leaked email from Mr Johnson’s principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds, which appeared to invite 100 staff to “socially distanced drinks in the No 10 garden” at a time when lockdown rules in England banned large outdoor gatherings from taking place.
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The invitation encouraged people to “make the most of the lovely weather” after what had been an “incredibly busy period”.
Although it is still currently unconfirmed, witnesses have told media outlets – including the BBC – that the Prime Minister and his wife Carrie were among the roughly 30 people who attended the drinks party that evening.
EXCL: Email obtained by @itvnews proves over 100 staff were invited to drinks party in No 10 garden at height of lockdown to “make the most of the lovely weather”.
The Prime Minister has today confirmed his attendance at the event and has publicly apologised to MPs during PMQs, saying that he “takes responsibility” for the gathering.
Yet he said he believed it was “a work event”, and in hindsight, should have sent everyone back inside.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he feels the Prime Minister’s apology is “worthless”, and described his excuse as “ridiculous” and “insulting” to the British public who have had to make so many sacrifices over the last two years.
Mr Johnson said that he knows people up and down the country “made huge sacrifices” and he understands “the anger and the rage they feel”.
But Starmer then questioned whether the Prime Minister would “do the decent thing” and resign.
At present, an inquiry being lead by senior civil servant Sue Gray is under way into the drinks party and the number of other gatherings that were said to have taken place on government premises during the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020.
Featured Image – Parliament TV
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Spike in antisemitic incidents reported after Manchester synagogue terror attack
Emily Sergeant
A new report has revealed that there was a rise in antisemitic incidents reported following the Manchester synagogue terror attack.
In case you need a reminder, the shocking knife and car attack took place on 2 October 2025 on Yom Kippur – the holiest day in the Jewish calendar – at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, and during the incident, two men sadly lost their lives during the attack – Adrian Daulby, 53, who was shot dead by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) while trying to stop the attacker from entering the synagogue, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, a worshipper who also helped stop the attacker.
The attacker was named as 35-year-old Jihad al Shamie – a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent who lived in Prestwich – who at the time was on bail for an alleged rape, before being shot dead by police.
In the wake of the attack, the Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors antisemitism in the UK, said 40 antisemitic incidents were reported on 2 October last year, and a further 40 were reported the day after – more than half of which involved direct reactions to the deadly attack.
These were the highest daily totals in 2025.
A spike in antisemitic incidents were reported after the Manchester synagogue terror attack / Credit: Google Maps | GMP
Three of the reported incidents on 2 and 3 October involved ‘face-to-face taunting and celebration of the attack to Jewish people’, according to the CST.
39 of the reported incidents were antisemitic social media posts referencing the attack, abusive responses to public condemnations of the attack from Jewish organisations and individuals, or antagonistic emails sent to Jewish people and institutions.
The Manchester synagogue attack was the first fatal antisemitic terror attack in the UK since the CST started recording incidents in 1984.
Overall, 3,700 anti-Jewish hate incidents were recorded in 2025 – which is said to be up 4% on the incidents recorded in the year before – and the CST revealed that this the second-highest annual total ever recorded.
There was also a spike in reported anti-Jewish hate incidents following the Bondi Beach killings in Sydney in December of last year too, the CST said.
Dave Rich, who is the director of police at CST, told Sky News in a statement: “We need a more robust approach to the kind of extremism that drives antisemitism.
“Jewish people in Britain used to be able to go about their lives without ever thinking about antisemitism, and now it’s the topic of conversation around every dinner table. That’s new.
“It feels for a lot of Jewish people like we’re in a different world now, the atmosphere is different, the climate has changed for Jewish people and the amount of antisemitism is part of that.”
Featured Image – GMP
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Trailer released for new romcom Finding Emily set and filmed all across Manchester
Emily Sergeant
The first trailer for a new romcom that’s set and filmed all across Manchester has been released.
The film, titled Finding Emily, tells the story of a lovesick musician, played by Spike Fearn, who meets his dream girl on a night out, but ends up with the wrong phone number, and so teams up with a driven psychology student, played by Angourie Rice, in a bid to find her.
Together, the unlikely duo spark a hilarious campus-wide frenzy that tests their own hearts and ambitions along the way.
The film – which is directed by Alicia MacDonald, and based on a screenplay written by Rachel Hirons – is produced by Working Title Films, is set in the fictional Manchester City University, and is due to be distributed by Focus Features and Universal Pictures across the UK and internationally this spring.
The talented ensemble cast groups together big names like Minnie Driver with rising stars like Ella Maisy Purvis, Yali Topal Margalith, and Kat Ronney, as well as other established actors including Timothy Innes and Nadia Parkes.
Filming took place in Manchester between August and September 2024.
The two and a half-minute trailer has been shared with the world today, and when we say it’s a Manc film, we mean it… we quite literally lost count of how many of our city’s famous locations can be spotted in just the trailer alone.
The trailer has been released for new romcom Finding Emily set and filmed in Manchester / Credit: Universal Pictures & Focus Features (via YouTube)
There’s everything from Manchester Central Library and Piccadilly Records, to Canal Street and the Gay Village, the Northern Quarter, the Crown & Kettle pub in Ancoats, and even the Emmeline Pankhurst statue in St Peter’s Square featured for all to see, alongside what’ll, presumably, be dozens of other famous locations.
Oh, and not to mention, if you keep your eyes peeled when watching the trailer, you can even see a small clip of Stockport band Blossoms playing a gig in there too.
Emily Sergeant -
12th January 2022 
