ANGELA Rayner backed controversial cuts to disability benefits in private Cabinet meetings – despite painting herself as the darling of the Labour left.

The deputy PM is locked in an extraordinary war with Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves  after an explosive memo she penned demanding tax rises over spending cuts leaked.

Furious government insiders accused Angela’s team of leaking the note to “curry favour” with Labour MPs angry at No10 over planned welfare cuts.

But in a fresh twist, The Sun on Sunday can reveal Ms Rayner spoke out in favour of the controversial £5 billion welfare cuts in a private Cabinet meeting earlier this year.

A senior government source said: “That memo was transparently written to be leaked, and it is because she wants to curry favour with members who will prefer wealth taxes to spending cuts.

“But she spoke out in favour of the welfare cuts in Cabinet.

“She said opponents of the cuts to welfare were writing off disabled people by consigning them not to work.”

Cabinet meetings are private and ministers are allowed to openly discuss and argue over policies if they do not agree with them.

Welfare chief Liz Kendall had set out her plans to slash £5B billion a year from sickness and disability benefits in a big drive to get more Brits back to work. 

Not all Cabinet ministers spoke out in favour of the cuts – but Ms Rayner did.

Sir Keir is facing fury and the biggest rebellion of his premiership over the welfare cuts when they are voted on in Parliament next month.

Around 100 Labour MPs are preparing to defy No10 and rebel. Ministers and government whips are on resignation watch.

One government source said: “They do expect some people to resign.”

The revelation comes at the end of an astonishing week in Westminster which saw the very top of the Labour government descend into civil war.

The Rayner memo – leaked to The Daily Telegraph – was seen as a brazen attempt to show off her leftie credentials to build up her support base to be leader after Sir Kier.

The flame-haired Labour deputy is also embroiled in a dust-up with Rachel Reeves over how much cash her housing and local government department will get.

Angela is fighting off attempts to cut her money in real terms as heated spending review talks are set to go down to the wire.

Lord Ian Austin – a former Labour minister and peer – told The Sun on Sunday: “Deputy Leader Angela Rayner ruffled feathers by sending round suggestions on tax increases instead of benefit cuts. She obviously wants the top job after Keir.”

But he warned Labour MPs a lurch to the Left would torpedo their chances of reelection, saying: “They must be mad if they believe working class people vote for right wing parties because they think Labour isn’t left wing enough.”

Another Whitehall source said it is “insane” the Housing Secretary is writing to the Chancellor with an alternative Budget plan. 

“The clear aim was for it to get out”,  they added.

Another said it is a sign Ms Rayner is “upping the ante”. 

Jet-setting Ms Rayner had been working hard to promote herself on the international stage.

Last week, she was pictured shaking hands with the new Pope and she has even hired a foreign affairs adviser to boost her profile on the world stage.