Relatable but replaceable? What Angela Rayner’s resignation teaches us about inclusive leadership

Angela Rayner has become another high-profile example of a woman pushed off the glass cliff, a phenomenon where women (especially those from underrepresented backgrounds) are promoted into leadership roles during times of crisis, when the risk of failure is highest. And when things go wrong, even slightly, they are the first to fall.

We’ve seen it before: Theresa May navigating Brexit. Kamala Harris taking the heat in a fractured political climate. These are not isolated cases, the glass cliff is alive and well across governments, industries, and workplaces.

I remember speaking to a friend when Labour won the UK election last year. Our conversation wasn’t about party manifestos or campaign strategies, it was about Angela Rayner. She felt real. Relatable, grounded, human. A straight talker who didn’t overcomplicate her message. She resonated with people in a way few politicians do.

Just last week she was photographed on a Brighton beach, wearing a Dryrobe, drinking rosé, a rare image of political leadership that felt genuinely public-facing. And yet, even with strong polling numbers and public support, her days were always numbered. Why?

Because Angela Rayner doesn’t fit the traditional leadership mould.

She is a working-class, single mother from the North of England. Her background, accent, and authenticity set her apart in a system inherently built for sameness, difference is often punished, not celebrated. Her recent resignation followed accusations of financial irregularities, but the swiftness of her political demise highlights a deeper, structural issue: when you don’t match the ‘default’ leadership archetype, you’re rarely afforded the benefit of the doubt.

Compare that with male, educated elites who often survive scandal, missteps, and even criminal charges with their careers intact.The system is still designed to favour a particular type of leader, and society still equates leadership with stereotypical traits associated with non-minority men.

But maybe it’s not just perception, maybe it’s preparation. Male leaders often have access to stronger networks, unspoken rules, insider advice, and informal coaching that sets them up to succeed or at least to recover. The same safety net doesn’t always exist for underrepresented leaders.

What does this mean for leadership and inclusion?

Rayner’s resignation should be a wake-up call. It forces us to ask difficult, necessary questions about how we identify, support, and sustain diverse leadership:

• How are you setting up underrepresented leaders for success?

• Are your success criteria based on outdated, exclusive norms?

• Does your culture reward conformity,  or embrace difference?

• Do you take collective responsibility when things go wrong, or does the burden fall unevenly?

  
  

Inclusive representation in leadership doesn’t happen by accident, it requires intentional design. That means inclusive talent management, succession planning, and performance structures that are equitable and future-focused.

At The Unmistakables, we work with organisations ready to shift from performative gestures to systemic change. If you’re serious about transforming your leadership pipeline and creating inclusive cultures where diverse leaders can thrive, get in touch.