Angela Rayner pledges to ‘crush the bikes’ in Scottish campaign visit

Angela Rayner has vowed to “crush the bikes” in a speech on a campaign visit to Scotland.

The deputy Labour leader said in a speech that her party would “crush” bikes which “are a nuisance down your high street, whizzing past your house… within 48 hours.”

She only clarified when speaking to journalists later that she was talking about off-road bikes – such as dirt or quad bikes.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar added that the policy was devolved but that his party would likely take it up if elected at the 2026 Holyrood election.

Rayner was speaking during a general election rally outside Hamilton Academical Football Club on Friday morning.

She was joined by Sarwar, Hamilton and Clyde Valley candidate Imogen Walker, several MSPs and candidates.

Rayner said in her speech about workers’ rights: “We’re cracking down on anti-social behaviour. Those bikes that are a nuisance down your high street, whizzing past your house.

“The police will have it within 48 hours crushed under a Labour Government because we understand how anti-social behaviour can play with people’s lives.”

Some candidates in the audience seemed visibly confused by the statement.

When pushed on it by journalists about what kind of bikes she was talking about, Rayner said: “These off road bikes that shouldn’t be on the road.

“I saw this in my own constituency. A young 17-year-old lad that was on one of these bikes and he crashed into a wall, the bike landed on his head and he had life-changing injuries to himself, a young man.

“But equally [it ] causes huge amounts of anti-social behaviours.

“So the next Labour Government, instead of these bikes going back on our streets, [they] will be crushed within 48 hours.

“We’re very clear that we’ve got to get these off-road bikes off the streets and that’s what we’ll deliver on it.

“It does cause major problems, but it’s also incredibly risky for those on the bikes and for the general public who potentially could come into contact with them.”

Anas Sarwar then said: “Obviously a lot of it’s devolved and there is an issue here in Scotland that does have to be addressed.

“There’s currently no action from the Scottish Government on this at all and we will look to see what our colleagues are doing in England to see the effectiveness of it. If it works, it’s something we’ll definitely decide to do in 2026.”

The rally came with less than a week until the general election.

The party is expected to win a big majority UK-wide as Labour is well ahead of the Tories in the polls.

In Scotland, Labour could overtake the SNP in terms of seats. Several polls have put them ahead, with others putting the parties neck and neck.

Labour would gain more seats even if the parties win the same number of votes as their vote share is much more concentrated in the central belt.

To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here