Angela Rayner's new deputy PM office inspired by John Prescott
Rayner is expected to set up her power base a year after Labour entered government, including 30 staff, a new logo and an email address.
The Times understands it will take inspiration from Prescott, the last Labour deputy prime minister, and will also draw lessons from Nick Clegg's time in the role.
Sources close to Rayner, who has her own mandate through being elected as deputy Labour leader by party members, pointed to Prescott's aim of 'creating sustainable communities' through his office, suggesting it was a key priority that she would emulate.
They suggested she would be taking direction from a 2005 document that read: 'The aim of the office of the deputy prime minister is 'creating sustainable communities'.'
Whether Rayner would be granted a separate office from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, for which she is secretary of state, has been unclear since Labour took power.
In the run-up to the election, there was a plan to give Rayner, who previously described herself as 'John Prescott in a skirt', a fully fledged office for deputy prime minister in the Cabinet Office, with a dedicated team and a cross-Whitehall brief.
When that failed to materialise, Sue Gray, the prime minister's then chief of staff, was blamed for blocking the long-standing plans that, it was thought, would co-ordinate Rayner's work across Whitehall. The claim was denied by No 10.
The Times reported in January that while plans for a formal office had been shelved, discussions had resumed about a move to No 9 Downing Street.
The political blog Guido Fawkes reported on Tuesday that the new office would be announced next week, including room in the Cabinet Office for about 30 staff, a new logo and staff emails using the domain @odpm.gov.uk.
A source close to Rayner pointed out that Prescott's official office for the deputy prime minister was not formed until 2002, a year after the 2001 Labour victory.
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They highlighted a description of Prescott's office that put focus on 'sustainable communities', described as being 'about things that matter to people: decent homes at prices people can afford; good public transport, schools, hospitals and shops; people able to have a say on the way their neighbourhood is run; and a clean, safe environment'.
It said: 'The role of the office of the deputy prime minister is to help create sustainable communities, working with other government departments, local councils, businesses, the voluntary sector and communities themselves.'
The office will be seen by some as Rayner consolidating her power as Sir Keir Starmer's authority has been thrown into question by a series of U-turns. Rayner is seen as a frontrunner to replace Starmer despite having ruled out a leadership challenge.
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