Angela Rayner self-isolates with coronavirus symptoms

Labour deputy leadership candidate Angela Rayner has revealed that she is self-isolating after starting to display coronavirus symptoms.

The MP for Ashton-Under-Lyne tweeted this morning to say: “I will be a bit quieter than usual but will still be keeping in touch with people as best as I can.”

Rayner joined a number of MPs that have been forced to self-isolate after displaying coronavirus symptoms since the beginning of the health crisis.

Alex Sobel and Lilian Greenwood were the first to do so in February after they both attended the same conference with a coronavirus patient.

Health minister Nadine Dorries was the first parliamentarian to actually test positive for Covid-19, followed shortly afterwards by Labour backbencher Kate Osborne.

Parliament closed on Wednesday to go to the Easter recess earlier than scheduled to combat the spread of the virus. The plan is to reopen in a month.

There are concerns about how government will be held to account as Boris Johnson attended his last Prime Minister’s Questions session before the closure.

Rayner is currently the frontrunner in the race to be the next deputy of the party. Ballots are currently open and the result will be announced on April 4th.