'I'd be devastated if my kids started vaping - I only do it to stop myself from smoking', says Rayner
Rayner's comments come as Andy Burnham pledged to give councils more powers to block new vape shops on Britain's “hollowed-out high streets”.
Angela Rayner today insisted she "would be devastated" if her children started vaping, as the MP backed Andy Burnham's plans to give councils the power to block the opening of vape shops.
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Ms Rayner, who has recently returned to the front bench as Labour's Housing Secretary, admitted to LBC that she "would be devastated if my kids started vaping".
It comes despite the fact Ms Rayner openly uses vapes herself, with Nick Ferrari confronting the MP with a clip from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in which she jests: "my kids call me the vape dragon".
Speaking with Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, Ms Rayner said: "It is not cool, it is not a good habit, and I despise the fact I have to say on your show that I’m addicted to nicotine as I started as a kid.
"I’ve cracked down on it, I do vape, but the important thing is I do that to stop myself from smoking. It’s been a lifetime of addiction for me and it’s probably going to damage my health."
She added: "My kids are disgusted by me vaping, but I started vaping to give up smoking."
It comes as Andy Burnham unveiled plans to hand more power to local councils in a bid to save Britain’s “hollowed-out high streets” by blocking new bookmakers and vape shops.
The MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, who recently returned to government after stepping down last year over an underpaid tax bill on a second property, said: "I’m from a generation when I thought it was cool to smoke - it wasn't."
"I'm from a generation when I thought it was cool to smoke - it wasn't," she continued.
"It’s a lifetime of purgatory for me of doing something I know isn’t good for me - I don't want to see an explosion of vape shops."
Under the proposals, the Prime Minister intends to scrap the so-called “aim to permit” rule, which limits the ability of local authorities to prevent betting shops and 24-hour slot machine venues opening in their area.
The new rules intend to force new outlets selling e-cigarettes to gain planning permission as part of efforts to give communities a greater say in proposals affecting their local high streets.
The Prime Minister also outlined that the formal definition of a vape shop will be tightened to stop businesses side-stepping the new rules by claiming to be a “convenience store or a retailer”, officials said.
Speaking on the proposals, Ms Rayner said the aim was to "put communities back in control".
"We recognise that there is a problem around some shops on our high streets - and we’re giving police the powers to enforce that," Ms Rayner said.
Admitting "people have seen the decline in their high streets", the Housing Secretary reiterated government plans that are set to also affect adult gaming centres, which offer up to 24 hours of access to slot and fruit machines.
Under proposals first announced by Sir Keir Starmer’s government, police will also be able to shut down “dodgy” barbers, vape shops and nail salons for up to a year.
The maximum length of so-called “closure orders” will be extended from six months to 12, to give officers more time to investigate premises linked to organised crime.
Officials said the Government would also set clearer expectations for the design of high-street shop fronts, to improve the appearance and pre-empt complaints about “garish neon signs” and “oversized logos.”
Working with local authorities, it will publish “practical guidance” for councils on how to make town centres more attractive, they said.
The “aim to permit” policy was introduced when Sir Tony Blair’s Labour government, in which Mr Burnham was a minister, liberalised gambling laws in 2005.
The Prime Minister, after taking a holiday a little over a fortnight into the job, will spend much of the rest of August travelling the country asking people how the Government can improve their lives.
Officials have said he will be in “listening mode”, with a focus on reviving high streets and tackling the cost of living.
But he is under pressure over his handling of the prisoner-release row, as two of Pc Andrew Harper’s killers are still to be freed early despite Mr Burnham’s review of the plans.
Mr Burnham said Tuesday’s announcement would help put local communities “back in control” and allow councils to rein in the spread of unwanted shops and bring town centres back to life.
He said: “For many people, the high streets they grew up with have been hollowed out and become unrecognisable over decades of decline.
“The rise of vape shops, betting shops and rogue operators have replaced the shops, services, and community spaces that people are crying out for.
“That’s not on. I said we would improve Britain’s high streets, and that’s exactly what we are starting to do.”
He added: “High streets are the beating heart of local communities, but for too long Westminster has stood by while they have been in decline. This Government is committed to restoring our high streets and bringing back hope across Britain.”
The Centre for Social Justice think tank, which has conducted analysis finding that Britain has lost nearly 1,800 pubs and bars while vape and tobacco shops have increased in number to almost 2,200 since 2016, welcomed the plans.
Joshua Nicholson, head of housing and communities at the think tank, said: “The Government is right to give councils new powers to say no to these dodgy shops. High street renewal is vital to restoring security within our communities.”
But the Betting and Gaming Council disputed any suggestion that betting shops were spreading unchecked and insisted the real threat to high streets was “more empty units and fewer local jobs, not businesses rooted in the communities they serve”.
A spokesperson for the industry body said: “We support tough action against criminal operators and agree local people should have a proper say over their high streets. But the suggestion that betting shops are spreading unchecked is simply wrong.
“Betting shop numbers have fallen by over a third since 2019. Around 3,000 shops have closed and over 15,000 jobs have already been lost.
“It is wrong to lump highly regulated, licensed betting shops together with rogue or criminal businesses. Betting shops still support 37,500 jobs, bring vital footfall to neighbouring businesses and, for many customers, are valued community hubs.”
Eamonn O’Brien, chairman of the Local Government Association, said: “It is positive that councils and communities will get a greater say on what shops and services are found on their high streets through these changes to the Use Class Order which will require vape shops to acquire planning permission.”
He added: “Extra powers will help councils in revitalising high streets and shaping their communities, particularly in regulating betting and vaping shops, while also breathing new life in to empty premises.”
Reform UK Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick said: “Until this Government scraps the jobs tax, addresses sky-high business rates and provides real, fundamental support for high street businesses, this policy will only create even more empty shops on our high streets.
“Preventing businesses from opening only works if the Government and local councils make it attractive for the right kind of shops to open in their place.
“Labour is doing the opposite by making life harder for small, legitimate businesses to operate on our high streets.”
Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson Max Wilkinson said: “Unless he beefs up powers to properly crack down on vape shops and dodgy operators, Burnham’s plans could go up in a puff of smoke.
“Our high streets are in crisis, so rolling the dice and keeping his fingers crossed these minor changes are enough simply won’t win the hand.
“He should scrap the failed business rates system and urgently give sweeping new powers to councils so high streets can prosper and trading standards officers can permanently shut repeat offenders.”