I met the UK's comedy Angela Rayner and her impression is spot on

The Daily Express wanted to know if Labour bigwig Angela Rayner could go from the political jungle to starring in ITV's I'm A Celebrity - so we asked her. Just days after her resignation I was amazed to bump into who I thought was the flame-haired darling of the Left sitting on a park bench, still raging at losing her Commons crown.

Yet far from the real political bigwig it was 'Intel Lady' comedy star in a red wig - whose uncanny spoof of the ex-Labour Deputy Leader has gone viral. Still in for a penny, in for a pound - so we asked our stand-in 'Rayner' what she thinks will be the politician's next moves.

And pouring out her heart in the September sunshine, told us: "I've had a hell of a week!

"I never imagined it could be as bad as it has, and people's reactions to me have absolutely stunned me. And I think we all know why that is, don't we? Because I'm a working class girl!"

I explained to Rayner that being working class is not something she has mentioned before, so it was a bit of shock she pulled that one out the hat.

She went on: "No, well, maybe people don't realise it. And I thought our Keir made it very clear in Parliament that, you know, I am from a working class background, I've worked dead hard.

"And, you know, you would think that people would praise me for that, but no, the snobbery coming from the media and coming from the British public, I just don't recognise this country anymore.

"It is full of far-right adjacent people with absolutely disgusting opinions and Brexity books and goodness knows what else, and they're all picking on me just because of where I came from, and it is... it's so unfair."

I asked her when she said 'where I came from' does she mean her £800,000 pad near Brighton, but she snapped back: "No, you know where I come from. I'm a very proud Northerner."

Does Rayner think she's been made the 'foolgirl' for Sir Keir Starmer and his recent string of poor judgements, such as the explosive Peter Mandelson debacle?

She agreed: "I do, yeah. Thrown under the bus, just like our Lou (Louise Haigh was thrown under the bus, which was ironic, really, because she was the Transport Secretary, but it was just... that's how I feel."

And you got no support from your colleagues at all, did you?

"No, well, you know, I wasn't very impressed with our Rachel (Reeves). Did you see her face? Very smug, very smug. Wasn't impressed with that. I think she's been taking lessons from James O'Brien with the smugness."

I asked if her Labour front bench colleagues may have seen her as a political threat?

But she swelled with inner fire as she replied: "Yeah, I think they're removing the threat. But do you know what? I'm about to go to the back benches and the gloves are off. I'm going to tell people exactly what I think!"

So could Angela Rayner end up in the Aussie jungle with Ant and Dec, following in the footsteps of Nigel Farage and Matt Hancock?

The bookies seem to think so with William Hill's Lee Phelps telling us "Rayner is 5/1 to head for a stint in the jungle this autumn or in 2026, while, at 4/1, she is slightly more likely to take to the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom next year."

What does fake Rayner think?

She paused and replied: "I'm a celebrity? It would be a walk in the park, wouldn't it but I fully expect that if I did do that, everyone would slag me off.

"No-one slagged off Farage when he did it but they'd slag me off because I'm a girl from a working-class background."

I could see this clearly still miffed Rayner was poised to get up and walk away so fired off two last questions before she dashed off. If you went into the jungle, what would be the one treat you'd have? Would it be a vape or wine?

"I just don't understand this obsession with me and vaping. Do you know how many politicians smoke cigarettes? This sounds like far-right adjacent questioning to me. Absolutely ridiculous. Are you going to ask a sensible question?"

Okay last one. Who will she support in the now vacated Labour Deputy Leadership race?

She slyly purred: "I would love to see our Lucy (Powell) in the position. I think she'd do a very good job.

"I also think our Lou (Haigh) deserves a comeback, because she ended up going to the backbenches, and it would be wonderful if we could bring her back again. That would be fantastic. Although I'm looking forward to being on the backbenches with her, because she's a right laugh!"

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