Angela Rayner has hired a taxpayer-funded “vanity” photographer to chronicle her work in Government. The Deputy Prime Minister is facing fresh scrutiny over her judgement after details of the appointment emerged on Sunday night.

Rachel Reeves defends Angela Rayner in row over ‘vanity photographer’ - Chancellor has also defended clothing donations she has received as Labour freebies row grows

Reeves denies Rayner has ‘personal photographer’ after departmental hire - The Chancellor said all Government departments had communications budgets they could use to promote their activities.

Angela Rayner has denied breaking rules over a holiday she took to New York with an MP friend – saying she was, if anything, ‘overly transparent’ about the trip. The Labour deputy leader travelled to the US city for New Year with then-Ilford South MP Sam Tarry and stayed in accommodation provided by Lord Waheed Alli.

Angela Rayner has said she did not break any rules over her “personal holiday” in New York with Sam Tarry, for which the pair stayed at the flat of Labour donor Lord Waheed Alli. The deputy prime minister stayed with her then partner Mr Tarry, a former Labour MP, at the $2.5m Manhattan penthouse over New Year, according to the Sunday Times.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner says she does not believe she has broken parliamentary rules over declaring a stay in a New York flat owned by a Labour donor. She told the BBC that Lord Waheed Alli was a friend and the trip had been a "personal holiday" but she had been "transparent" by disclosing her use of the apartment because he had donated to her in the past.