Angela Rayner humiliated Dominic Raab's opera reference not once but twice

Angela Rayner’s appearance during Wednesday’s PMQs has made headlines this week – mostly because Dominic Raab’s wink weirded out the internet.

The deputy PM winked at the deputy Labour leader from across the Commons and also attempted to criticise her for attending the opera and called her a ‘champagne socialist’.

“Where was she when the comrades were on the picket line last Thursday?” Raab asked in reference to the rail strikes, adding: “She was at the Glyndebourne music festival, sipping champagne.”

He called it proof that “champagne socialism is back in the Labour party”.

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Rayner hit back at the comments not once, but twice.

In a statement after their appearance in PMQs, Rayner said: “My advice to the deputy prime minister is to cut out the snobbery and brush up on his opera.

“The Marriage of Figaro is the story of a working-class woman who gets the better of a privileged but dim-witted villain.”

She added: “Judging by his own performance today, Dominic Raab could learn a lesson about opening up the arts to everyone, whatever their background.”

Rayner wasn’t done there, either. The 42-year-old posted a picture of her with violinst Tom Eisner.

“Dominic Raab won’t approve but I did indeed go the opera last week (it cost me £62).”

She added: “Tom Eisner, a working-class lad from Buxton near where I grew up kindly invited me. He’s been playing violin at Glyndebourne for 36 years.

Rayner finished by writing: “Never let anyone tell you you’re not good enough.”

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