Angela Rayner has spoken publicly about her long-standing addiction to nicotine, admitting she would be "devastated" if her children took up vaping despite her own inability to quit. The communities secretary, who took up vaping to help her stop smoking, described the habit as a "lifetime of purgatory", highlighting the tension between government efforts to crack down on vape shops and her personal struggle to give up nicotine altogether. Her remarks come as ministers move to tighten regulation of the vaping industry as part of a wider push to improve Britain's high streets.

Speaking to LBC, Rayner said she had battled nicotine addiction since her teenage years and wished she could quit completely, noting that her children, who call her the "vape dragon", are "disgusted" by the habit. The government has announced that new vape shops will require planning approval from next year, with tighter rules to stop retailers dodging regulation by calling themselves "convenience stores". Separately, ministers plan to give councils greater powers to block vape and betting shops, including scrapping the Blair-era "aim to permit" rule, as part of a broader scheme to tackle "hollowed-out high streets" championed by Andy Burnham and the prime minister.