Angela Rayner quits Government after standards probe into tax affairs
Angela Rayner has resigned from Government following an investigation into her tax affairs by Sir Keir Starmer’s independent standards adviser.
Sir Laurie Magnus said Ms Rayner had “acted with integrity and with a dedicated and exemplary commitment to public service” but concluded she breached the ministerial code after she underpaid stamp duty on her seaside flat.
Ms Rayner told the Prime Minister in a letter that “I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice” and took “full responsibility for this error” as she resigned as Deputy Prime Minister, Housing Secretary and deputy leader of the Labour Party.
She had faced mounting pressure to stand down over recent days after admitting she underpaid stamp duty on the £800,000 flat she bought in Hove earlier this year.
Ms Rayner paid £40,000 less of the surcharge on the property than she should have, as she claimed it was her main home rather than a second home.
“Never my intention”
Sir Laurie said in his letter to the Prime Minister: “She believed that she relied on the legal advice she had received, but unfortunately did not heed the caution contained within it, which acknowledged that it did not constitute expert tax advice and which suggested that expert advice be sought.
“I am conscious of the acute challenges ministers face – perhaps uniquely – in managing the demands of their personal lives and their public responsibilities.
“However, the responsibility of any taxpayer for reporting their tax returns and settling their liabilities rests ultimately with themselves.”
In a resignation letter on Friday, Ms Rayner said: “I have long believed that people who serve the British public in government must always observe the highest standards, and while the Independent Adviser has concluded that I acted in good faith and with honesty and integrity throughout, I accept that I did not meet the highest standards in relation to my recent property purchase.
“I would like to take this opportunity to repeat that it was never my intention to do anything other than pay the right amount.”
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One word to describe Secretary of State for Housing (England) and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. Hypocrite! She criticised others for not paying their fair share of tax. Used her “working class” background and personal issues as an emotive weapon to excuse her tax avoidance. And cardboard Conservative Keir Starmer backed her all the way. She should have been sacked not allowed to resign. It’s absolutely pathetic that these champagne socialists once in power bury their snouts deep in the trough.
The letters are interesting.
Ministerial scrutiny in action.
Now lets see the usual suspect press and people go after Tory and Reform, the ones that missed Pritti, Zahawi etc.
Farage must be gutted.
The additional liability that foxed multiple professionals and the Revenue wouldn’t have come to light without the Telegraph’s diligence, persistence and hardwork so you have to wonder how much more unpaid tax there is hiding behind “complex tax arrangements”. Hopefully this will trigger a wide-ranging investigation into similar practices that may have been set up with less honourable intentions. The Telegraph may have started something their readers come to regret.
If there is tax to be collected from those who think they have “dodged” it then HMRC have a duty to get stuck in. Otherwise an excessive burden falls on the rest of us. Simple really. Doesn’t matter whose readership takes a bit of a beating.
The Telegraph seemed to know more about Rayners housing arrangements than she did. A popular hard working politician widely tipped to be Starmer’s successor. A real loss, but was always a target from the right-wing press with their connections.
What has Rayner ever done for Ashton – Under -Lyne apart from abandoning her socialist principles and joining Starmers Inner Circle.
What has she done? That would be a constituency office question. Know anyone who lives there that has needed help and written to her? Ask them.
If she’d paid her stamp duty in full there’s no story – and nothing for the right wing press to keep digging into. Sorry to say she’s brought this on herself
I propose Rayner’s Law. Ban tax avoidance. Everyone must arrange their affairs to pay the most tax possible.
The right wing press have been after her for ages, it is what they do, I they do not like strong women. Tory politicians were protected doing far more by the same press. Funny that.
We expect it from the middle classes, the Tories, Reform, etc. But not Ange. That’s the point. Hugely disappointing. Is there such a thing as an honest politician ? I think not ,
She will soon be back in a better paid job. I wonder how much of a payoff and pension she will get for resigning! That is usually the norm if someone is working for the government.
The Fat Shanks Effect…