Angela Rayner has been criticised following her acceptance of a £20,000 speaking fee from Propertymark. The payment was for a two-hour engagement at a conference on 12 June, before she was reappointed Housing Secretary on 20 July.
Yesterday morning, approximately 20 members of the London Renters Union gathered outside the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. They presented a novelty £20,001 cheque to Ms Rayner, protesting her fee and a perceived retreat from implementing rent controls.
Four days after returning as Housing Secretary, Ms Rayner ruled out rent controls, stating she did not believe freezes or controls were the solution to rising rents. Propertymark has previously campaigned against rent controls.
Jae Vail, a campaigner for the London Renters Union, stated the group was not alleging rule-breaking but that the payment raised political questions. A spokesperson for Ms Rayner said that all earnings have been declared in line with the rules.