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UK Deputy PM Dominic Raab Winks During Debate With Labour Deputy Angela Rayner

Storyful

Dominic Raab, the UK’s deputy prime minister, was seen winking during a debate with Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner in Westminster on Wednesday, June 29.

Raab made the gesture during a heated exchange over the cost of living crisis and the recent rail strikes.

Raab said “champagne socialism is back in the Labour Party”, after referring to Rayner “sipping champagne” and “listening to opera” at the Glyndebourne festival during the rail strikes.

Reacting to Raab’s gesture, Labour MP Toby Perkins said: “I will never unsee Dominic Raab’s wink from the despatch box at Angela Rayner. I feel soiled.” Credit: Parliament TV via Storyful

Video transcript

DOMINIC RAAB: The Right Honorable Lady has flip-flopped-- the Right Honorable Lady has flip-flopped all over the place when it came to these strikes. First, she said they were lose-lose. Then she tweeted workers were left with no choice. When she was asked by the BBC, straight question-- she is normally a straight-shooting politician-- do you like the RMT, she said, I'm going to have to go now. I've got a train to catch.

[LAUGHTER]

She talks about working people. She talks about working people. She talks about working people. Where was the Right Honorable Lady when the [? comrades ?] were on the picket line last Thursday? Where was she when the Labour front bench were joining them rather than standing up for the public?

She was at the Glyndebourne Music Festival sipping champagne, listening to opera. Champagne socialism is back in the Labour Party. The Right Honorable Lady has flip-flopped. The Right Honorable Lady has flip-flopped all over the place when it came to these strikes.

First, she said they were lose-lose. Then she tweeted workers were left with no choice. When she was asked by the BBC, straight question-- she's normally a straight shooting politician-- do you like the RMT, she said, I'm going to have to go now. I've got a train to catch.

[LAUGHTER]

She talks about working people. She talks about working people. She talks about working people. Where was the Right Honorable Lady when the [? comrades ?] were on the picket line last Thursday? Where was she when the Labour front bench were joining them rather than standing up for the public? She was at the Glyndebourne Music Festival sipping champagne, listening to opera. Champagne socialism is back in the Labour Party.