Angela Rayner’s mother called her during a televised interview to praise her on her speech at the Labour Party’s convention in Liverpool.
The 43-year-old deputy leader of the Labour Party was filming a segment for Channel 4 News when her phone rang. Since it was rare for her to call, Ms Rayner decided she had to take the call when she realised it was her mother, Lynn Bowen, as she feared something might be awry.
When she responded, however, it was only a happy congrats from parent to child.
Ms Rayner's amusing expression of disbelief was also caught on camera, when she posted a clip of the exchange on X saying: “She never rings me... and then...”
In a speech she gave earlier at the Labour conference, Ms Rayner promised that if her party wins the next general election, she would improve affordable housing and advance workers' rights.
Ms Bowen is heard stating in the clip, “I turned it on and there you were again.”
Ms Rayner replies: “Mum, I’m in the middle of a media round and I said my mum never rings me, something must be really up with her. Right, I’ll give you a ring back when I’ve finished the media round. All right?”
Her mother continues to say: “Are you all right, I’m just congratulating you, you did well.”
“Thank you, all right, I'll chat with you in about 20 minutes,” Ms Rayner responds. “I’m on the media now, thanks, bye.”
After hanging up, she adds: “My mum never, ever rings me and she’s never up in the morning. She’s going to Llandudno, that’s why she’s up. Because she’s never up in the morning anyway, so.”
The sweet encounter prompted laughter from the TV crew, and a few sympathetic awws.
Ms Rayner has previously talked about her mother's bipolar condition, and their mother-daughter connection.
In a February 2020 interview with ITV News, Ms Rayner discussed how she was obliged to take care of her mother as a young kid. Ms Bowen suffered from depression and was suicidal, and Ms Rayner admitted that at one point she even considered taking her own life.
