Angela Rayner's position hangs in the balance as stamp duty row deepens

Anegla Rayner is facing fresh questions over a stamp duty row as her political future hangs in the balance.

The Deputy Prime Minister is at the centre of an ethics probe after admitting not paying enough tax on her £800k seaside flat in Hove.
She has insisted she did so based on incorrect "advice from lawyers".

But a conveyancer used by Ms Rayner to buy the flat - Verrico & Associates - denied giving her tax advice and suggested they were being made "scapegoats". "We're not qualified to give advice on trust and tax matters and we advise clients to seek expert advice on these," the firm's managing director said.

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Sources close to Ms Rayner said a conveyancer and two experts in trust law had all suggested the amount of stamp duty she paid on the property was correct and she acted on the advice she was given at the time.

The report by Keir Starmer's independent adviser into whether there was any breach of the ministerial code could land as soon as Friday. Its findings will determine Ms Rayner's political fate.

The PM, who has defended his deputy, refused to say whether Ms Rayner would face the sack if it found she broke the ministerial code. But he said he was "expecting a result pretty quickly", adding: "Then of course I will act on whatever the report is that's put in front of me."

It came as the Housing Secretary's seaside home was targeted by vandals - leading to condemnation from Keir Starmer and MPs across the political divide. Sussex Police said they would be contacting the Deputy PM to "address any further concerns" after the words "Tax Evader" and "b****" were sprayed outside the flat.

READ MORE: Deputy PM Angela Rayner's seaside flat vandalised amid stamp duty tax row

Ms Rayner has spoken in the past about receiving death threats and abuse, saying last year that she was afraid to go out to socialise.
She was understood to not be at the property at the time.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "Some of you may have seen the photos of the vandalism of the Deputy Prime Minister's home this morning. The Prime Minister condemns this vandalism in the strongest possible terms.

"Whatever scrutiny our parliamentarians may face, it is appalling that their private homes should be targeted in this way." Peter Kirkham, a former Met Police Detective Chief Inspector, said: "This is something that is increasingly a problem with high profile stories that get amplified through social media, riling people up.

"Things like this have always happened [to politicians] but it is worse now." He said police were likely to review their risk assessments in the wake of the incident.

He added: "There's probably - at least temporarily - going to be an increase in resource and an increase in the threat assessment." In recent years two MPs - Jo Cox and David Amess - have been murdered.

Brendan Cox, whose MP wife Jo was killed in 2016, told The Mirror: “Attacking MPs' homes is never justified. It spreads fear where people should feel safest. You can make your political point without intimidating people.”

Tech Secretary Peter Kyle, who is also the MP for Hove, said: "Hove is better than this." He added: "There are many, many ways people can express their anger and disappointment in Angela Rayner, including reporting her to the Commissioner for Standards.

"But defacing a wall is not one of those ways." Ex-Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, who experienced a protest outside his home last year, told The Mirror: "Whatever the rights and wrongs - vigilante attacks on MPs like this simply deter more people from considering entering politics.

"Britain loses - as the best in our society stay away." Labour MP Antonia Bance added: "It’s absolutely not on to target politicians’ homes - especially when they have been the target of harassment and abuse as Angela has.

"Angela did the right thing throughout - she took professional advice and acted on it, and when it became clear that a mistake had been made, she took steps to sort it out and referred herself for investigation."

Ms Rayner's team also hit out, saying: "This vandalism to residents' homes is totally unjustifiable and beyond the pale. Neither Angela nor her neighbours deserve to be subjected to harassment and intimidation. It will rightly be a matter for the police to take action as they deem appropriate."

The word "b****" along with a much larger sign saying "tax evader!" were pictured on a white wall on the outside of the home, after Ms Rayner admitted underpaying stamp duty on the property.

Around 20 yards further down the street - outside a luxury apartment previously owned by Pink Floyd Dave Gilmour - are two more messages. The first, sprayed onto the pavement, reads: “Tax Evader Rayner” while a second said: “Rayner Sold British Girls 4 Votes”

That particular message was sprayed off on Thursday morning after the new owner contacted a contractor to remove it. Residents living close by said they were “shocked and appalled” by the wanton vandalism.

One said: “It’s shocking. What a disgraceful thing to do. I simply can’t believe it. I hope the police catch them. I’m sure there’s CCTV nearby.” Another said: “I woke up and went for a jog and saw it. It’s a right mess. I’m appalled to be honest. It raises many fresh questions about the safety of MPs again.

"I’ve seen Angela Rayner around and she said hello and was very pleasant. I’m so astonished really.” A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "We are aware of graffiti outside an address in Hove, on Thursday (4 September). The matter is being treated as criminal damage and we are proactively making enquiries to gather information as to the circumstances.

"We will be contacting the homeowner to identify and address any further concerns." The incident came as the Cabinet continued to rally around Ms Rayner.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: "I have full confidence in Angela Rayner. She's a good friend and a colleague, she has accepted the right stamp duty wasn't paid. That was an error, that was a mistake. She is working hard now to rectify that, in contact with HMRC to make sure that the correct tax is paid."

Ms Reeves added it is "incumbent on all of us to try to properly understand the rules". Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham also urged people "not to rush judgement" on Ms Rayner's situations.

He said: "It's clear a mistake has been made. Angela’s life is complicated, she has a trust fund in relation to her son and that clearly makes things complicated when it comes to property.

"What I would say is let the ethics adviser take a proper, careful look at it and then come back with an independent judgement."

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