Angela Rayner’s recent salvo against No10 and the Treasury reportedly sparked by claims of an ‘anti-Northern bias’ among senior figures in Downing Street 

The Deputy Prime Minister’s salvo against No 10 and the Treasury last week was sparked by her acute sensitivity to patronising Southern metropolitans, it has been claimed.

Friends of Angela Rayner – who demanded soak-the-rich economic policies – say she believes that there is a misogynistic, anti-Northern streak in senior figures in Downing Street.

One ally of Ms Rayner said: ‘What is the link? They are Northern women. Angela’s demonstrating a show of strength and solidarity. She is the most senior Northern woman in the Cabinet and feels protective.’

Earlier this year The Mail on Sunday reported that Ms Nandy faces the sack at the next reshuffle because Downing Street complained that she ‘doesn’t work hard enough’. A source said: ‘Lisa seems to work about two days a week on her portfolio.’

Friends of Angela Rayner (pictured) – who demanded soak-the-rich economic policies – say she believes that there is a misogynistic, anti-Northern streak in senior figures in Downing Street 

Allies of Mancunian Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy (pictured) claimed she had been targeted by No 10 chief-of-staff Morgan McSweeney because she had become a Cabinet flag-bearer of the Left by objecting to the Government’s welfare cuts

No 10 is considering abolishing the Culture Department, bringing to an end 33 years of it being a standalone department for arts and cultural matters. But allies of Ms Nandy claimed she had been targeted by No 10 chief-of-staff Morgan McSweeney because she had become a Cabinet flag-bearer of the Left by objecting to the Government’s welfare cuts.

Ms Phillipson is judged by Downing Street to have mishandled her brief, attracting opposition to her proposed reforms to the academy system.

However, moving two of the Cabinet’s most high-profile women would also fuel concerns that the Government has a ‘women problem’.