Labour has been accused of trying to win power on the back of “a litany of lies” after deputy leader Angela Rayner made extraordinary allegations suggesting that the Conservatives want to evict babies from social housing for crying.
The claim came on a Good Morning Britain interview where Ms Rayner was being pressed about why she opposes the Conservatives’ “three strikes and you are out” to tackle serious anti-social behaviour.
Ms Rayner accused the Tories of “gaslighting” for promising to crack down on anti-social behaviour claiming the powers already exist and are being used.
But she left the presenters stunned when she said: “If you have got a newborn baby that is now classed as anti-social behaviour if your baby is crying.”
“Is it?” asked astonished presenter Susanna Reid.
Ms Rayner replied: “Yes that’s one of the examples that was given for evictions of people.”
Again she was asked by Richard Madeley: “Are you sure about that?”
She doubled down: “Yes. That is one of the examples, when we have been looking, of landlords removing people for anti-social behaviour to remove people.”
The allegation has been hotly denied by the Conservatives who point out that the legislation they want to put through is for social housing run by councils or housing associations while the only examples Labour could produce after involved private rental landlords.
But it followed an equally bizarre attack on the Conservatives by Wes Streeting who claimed that children are getting shorter on average because of austerity. An allegation which the Conservatives have also debunked.
The accusation was made even though the proposals have not been formally published yet and nothing in the Government’s consultation mentioned anything about evicting babies.
Craig Tracey, Conservative Party Deputy Chairman, told Express.co.uk: “Labour are once again peddling a litany of lies about kids in some desperate attempt to smear this Government.
“First the Shadow Health Secretary claimed that children are getting smaller, and now the Shadow Deputy Prime Minister has outrageously suggested that babies will be evicted – all without a shred of evidence to back them up.
“The public cannot trust a word they say. Rayner should apologise and retract her false statements.”
But Labour hit back calling the Tories “delusional”.
A Labour Party spokesman said: “This is utter delusion. There are plenty of examples of families being evicted because their baby was crying. Experts from the industry agree that the government’s own legislation puts domestic abuse victims, families and people with autism at risk of being evicted.
“The Tories own consultation admits this dangerous eviction rule will apply to social tenants. Regardless of whether it is social or private – no one should be kicked out their home because their baby is crying.
“The Conservatives should spend more time on protecting housing tenants than confecting outrage about Labour.
“Labour will clamp down on rogue landlords subjecting renters to properties unfit for human habitation, and will build 1.5 million homes to boost the economy and unlock the dream of home ownership.”
This is not the first time Ms Rayner has provoked Tory ire. She infamously talked about “Tory scum” at the Labour conference in 2021.
Ms Rayner was appearing on the show to discuss protections for tenants against evictions and Labour claims she was referring to the Government’s record adding that it is “well documented” that vulnerable tenants and those with children can fall foul of current anti-social behaviour grounds.
