Angela Rayner said she would miss “the battle of the gingers” as Sir Oliver Dowden took part in his last PMQs.

The new Tory leader will be unveiled early next month meaning he will leave his role as shadow deputy PM.

Sir Oliver said he will miss their exchanges in the Commons when the pair stand in.

Ms Rayner replied: “I will miss our exchanges. The battle of the gingers.”

Sir Oliver Dowden asked: “Does she agree with this: ‘Working people will pay when employers pass on the hike in National Insurance?’

“These are her words. Does she at least agree with herself?”

Angela Rayner replied: “What I am incredibly proud of is this week this Government brought in a new Employment Bill which will raise the living standards of 10 million workers.”

Sir Oliver Dowden pressed Angela Rayner on reports Chancellor Rachel Reeves could raise employers’ national insurance at the Budget.

The shadow deputy prime minister said: “I think the whole House will have heard the Deputy Prime Minister disregard five million hard-working small business owners.

“These are the publicans, the shopkeepers, the family running a local cafe, none of those count as working people to her.

“Now, Labour gave a clear commitment not to raise national insurance. The independent Institute for Fiscal Studies have given their view on this, they say that raising employer national insurance is a tax on working people, even the Chancellor said that raising employer national insurance was a jobs tax that will make each new recruit more expensive and increase the cost to business.

“So does she agree with the IFS and her own Chancellor?

The Deputy Prime Minister replied: “I remember the party opposite, what they said to business, what was it, ‘f’ to business? Whereas this party held an… international investment summit last week.”

She added: “We’re pro-business, pro-worker, and getting on with fixing the mess that they left behind.”

Shadow deputy prime minister Sir Oliver Dowden asked Angela Rayner: “The Deputy Prime Minister stood on a manifesto promising not to raise taxes on working people. It now appears she can’t even define who working people are, so I’ll give her another go.

“There are five million small business owners in this country. Are they working people?”

Ms Rayner replied: “I don’t know how the shadow deputy prime minister can stand there with a straight face when it was the small businesses that working people of this country, that paid the price for them (the Conservatives) crashing the economy, sending interest rates soaring.

“I think he needs to learn his own lessons in opposition.”

Shadow Deputy Prime Minister Sir Oliver Dowden used his first question at PMQs to ask Angela Rayner

The Deputy PM replied: “The people the Tory Party have failed for the last 14 years.”

Labour promised in its general election manifesto not to hike taxes for working people.

Angela Rayner paid tribute to Olympian cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy following his terminal cancer diagnosis, and sent condolences to those involved in the train crash in Wales which left one dead and 15 injured.

The Deputy Prime Minister told the Commons: “I know the whole House will join me in sending our best wishes to Sir Chris Hoy and his wife Sarra.

“He is a true sporting legend and the courage and positivity they have shown will inspire many others.

“I also send our condolences to those affected by the train crash in Powys.”

Shadow deputy PM Sir Oliver Dowden added: “Can I join the Deputy Prime Minister in paying tribute to the bravery of Sir Chris Hoy? He truly is an inspiration to us all.”

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is at the despatch box for her first time answering questions at PMQs.

Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons will start at 12pm.

Deputy PM Angela Rayner is standing in for Sir Keir Starmer who is travelling to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

She will square off against Tory counterpart Sir Oliver Dowden.