Angela Rayner has been snubbed from a top security committee chaired by Sir Keir Starmer.

The Deputy Prime Minister does not have a permanent seat on the National Security Council (NSC), which coordinates policy decisions and discussions about national security in the UK.

Ms Rayner has been left off despite Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden both having seats.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Defence Secretary John Healey and Attorney General Richard Hermer are also on the Cabinet committee.

Ms Rayner has been given a position on the NSC Resilience sub-committee, which is chaired by Mr McFadden rather than the Prime Minister.

Previous deputy PMs including Oliver Dowden, Dominic Raab, Damian Green and Nick Clegg had a full seat on the NSC.

It comes amid ongoing reports that Ms Rayner has been sidelined by the Prime Minister.

The NSC’s membership was updated today for the first time since the general election.

The Cabinet committee, which is also attended by top military figures, is described as the “main forum for collective discussion of the Government’s objectives for national security and about how best to deliver them in the current financial climate”.

Its key purpose is to “ensure that ministers consider national security in the round and in a strategic way”.