Angela Rayner Keynote Speaker

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Co-operative party member for Ashton-under-Lyne (2020 - 2025)
Leading national voice on devolution, housing reform and workers’ rights

Angela Rayner's Biography

Angela Rayner is one of the most recognisable and compelling voices in modern British politics. Rising from a working-class background in Greater Manchester to the highest levels of government, she is known for her direct style, sharp political instincts, and deep understanding of the pressures facing working families and communities across the UK.

Before entering Parliament, Angela worked as a care worker for Stockport Council, gaining experience at the sharp end of public services. She later became a trade union representative within UNISON and rose through the union movement to become the most senior elected official of UNISON in the North West of England. Across this period and throughout her career, she has led and delivered change management from the frontline through to senior leadership roles.

Rayner became a prominent figure in Westminster, becoming the first woman to represent her constituency in its long parliamentary history. She rose rapidly through senior roles, including Shadow Secretary of State for Education, before serving as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Co-operative Party member for Ashton-under-Lyne (2020–2025).

Rayner served as Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, leading major priorities on housing delivery, renters’ rights, homelessness prevention and regeneration, while championing a national programme of devolution described as the “biggest power shift in a generation.” She has delivered high-profile national addresses on devolution and the renewal of local government, including her speech at the Local Government Association Conference in 2025.

She brings authenticity and urgency to every stage, speaking candidly about leadership under pressure, the realities of inequality, and what it takes to drive change in complex systems. Her story resonates strongly with audiences looking for inspiration grounded in real-world credibility, and for insight into the forces shaping the UK’s political, economic and social future.

Leadership under pressure and public trust

Devolution, regional growth and the future of local government

Housing, communities and tackling inequality

Workers’ rights and the changing world of work

The future of public services and social renewal

She has risen from a working-class upbringing in Greater Manchester to the very top of UK government, bringing a rare blend of lived experience and national leadership.
She has served as Deputy Prime Minister and led major domestic priorities on housing, renters’ rights, homelessness prevention and regeneration, giving audiences first-hand insight into how policy is made and delivered at scale.
She has driven a national programme of devolution described as the biggest power shift in a generation, helping leaders understand how regional growth, governance and public services are being reshaped.
She has shaped national debate on workers’ rights, local growth and the future of public services, translating political complexity into clear, practical perspectives for organisations and communities.
She speaks with directness and credibility about leadership under pressure and driving change in complex systems, leaving audiences with a clearer view of the forces shaping Britain’s political, economic and social future.