Alex Burghart takes on Angela Rayner at PMQs - but who is he?

By Alice Padgett

Alex Burghart will be a new face at PMQs today, taking on Angela Rayner, as party leaders are away.

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Alex Burghart is the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Conservative MP Brentwood & Ongar and the Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

As Prime Minister Keir Starmer is in Rio De Janeiro for the G20 Summit, Angela Rayner will step in for the PM - and as tradition dictates, the deputy from the opposition will step in too.

However, when Kemi Badenoch named her shadow cabinet earlier this month, she did not name a clear deputy.

Burghart has been one of Badenoch's team that have prepared her for last two PMQs with Sir Keir Starmer.

It's believed that Burghart will challenge Rayner on the 20,000 strong farmer protest in central London yesterday, calling for changes to Rachel Reeve's new inheritance tax rates.

Alex Burghart used to be a teacher, and then started his political career in the Department of Education, before becoming the Director of Policy at the Centre for Social Justice.

He was Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on social justice from 2016 - 2017 under Theresa May.

Burghart has been on a number of parliamentary committees, and wasParliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, from 2019 - 2021.

The Prime Minister is set to return to the UK this evening.