Sir Keir Starmer has hinted that Angela Rayner could return to government just weeks after she resigned from Cabinet for failing to pay enough tax on her second home.
The Prime Minister hailed Ms Rayner as a “great story for social mobility”, adding that she will be a “major voice” in British politics for years to come.
It comes after Health Secretary Wes Streeting on Tuesday said that Labour “needs Angela Rayner back” for her work on the Employment Rights Bill.
This is despite the former deputy prime minister and housing secretary being forced to step down last month over her tax affairs.
Ms Rayner, who is absent from this year’s Labour party conference in Liverpool, quit on September 5 after admitting she failed to pay £40,000 in stamp duty when buying a flat in Hove, East Sussex.
But speaking to LBC radio on Wednesday, Sir Keir implied Ms Rayner could be brought back into the political fold sooner rather than later.
He said: “When Ange stepped down that she had been a major voice in the labour movement and that she would be a major voice for many years to come
“I was personally very sad to see her go, Nick. “If you talk about social mobility, there is no greater story than Angela Rayner coming from very difficult circumstances to become Deputy Prime Minister.”
Asked whether he is ready to welcome Ms Rayner back to the frontbench, Sir Keir said: “She made a mistake. She made a mistake.
“She's paid a heavy price indeed and I've always thought that she will be a major voice again in the labour movement and I think that is a good thing.
“I've been really struck since she did step down by the number of people from different political walks of life who say to me they do want to see Angela Rayner have that voice again at some stage.”
In her resignation letter, she said: "I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice given both my position as Housing Secretary and my complex family arrangements. I take full responsibility for this error."
At the time, Sir Keir told her "you will remain a major figure in our party" and will "continue to fight for the causes you care so passionately about”.
Other Labour colleagues have called for her return, including Lucy Powell, the former leader of the House of Commons who is running to be Labour’s deputy leader.
She said at a fringe event: “Angela is a good, dear friend of mine and it’s a huge, huge loss to the Labour Party and to the government that she’s had to step down.
“I definitely think she can come back. She’s got a huge amount to offer when she does and she should absolutely … She didn’t act in bad faith. She got something wrong, but she wasn’t acting in bad faith.”
And Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Ms Rayner remains an asset to Labour, thanking her for “all she will continue to do for our movement, our party, and our country”.
