Car broken down in Westminster? Call the AR! Angela Rayner says she is a secret 'petrolhead' who can change a clutch and do a full service and MOT

If you ever find yourself in Westminster, Ashton-under-Lyne or Hove with a sticky clutch, you may not need the AA but the AR.

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner today admitted she is a 'petrolhead' who can give a car a full MOT or service and is a dab hand at stopping your gears from grinding. 

The former deputy PM, 46, who grew up in working-class Manchester, is one of the more glam members of the Cabinet, known especially for her outré shoe collection.

But the Greater Manchester MP used a TV interview this morning to reveal she was also just as comfortable in oily overalls. 

She told Sky News that fixing cars 'was a thing of mine', adding: 'I used to do points, condensers, I can do a clutch, I can do brakes, brake pads, brake shoes.

'I can do a full service. I can do a full MOT, I used to do spark plugs things like that. I have even cut a rocker box gasket out of a cornflake box once.' 

However, she bemoaned how difficult it is to fix modern cars yourself, adding: 'It's a lot harder now, you have to plug them in.'

It came as she spoke out about plans to reform the benefit system to try to get more young people into work.

Asked whether she was cheering on Alan Milburn's review of the system or if she was behind the scenes questioning their direction, the Housing Secretary told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I am cheering them on because I don't believe that having over a million children without any prospects of being in training or in employment is something that this country should accept.'

Asked what she would say if Mr Milburn said certain levels of certain benefits should be cut, Ms Rayner replied: 'Well, again, what I'm saying is that what Alan Milburn is saying himself, is that we have to create opportunities for young people to get into employment, and it's too difficult for some of these young people.

'So the Government has already changed, like I say, making more apprenticeships available.'

She suggested she wanted to wait until Mr Milburn's report was published before commenting further, adding that 'you can't put the cart before the horse' and that the Government was focusing on ensuring support for people getting into work.