Investigation looms for Angela Rayner amid allegations of evading £40,000 in stamp duty by Deputy Prime Minister's actions
In a turn of events that has sparked controversy, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has found herself at the centre of a tax controversy following her purchase of a seaside flat in East Sussex for £800,000.
The purchase of the Hove property has raised questions about council tax, as per the policy set by her own Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which imposes an extra 100% council tax for second homes. This has led to calls for Ms Rayner to stop presiding over government decisions on council tax on second homes and start paying council tax on her London flat in Admiralty House, a claim that her team has vehemently denied.
Conservative MP, Mr Hollinrake, has argued that it is more likely that Admiralty House is Ms Rayner's primary residence. He further contends that her decision to tell HM Revenue and Customs her home in Hove was her primary residence "collapses the house of cards that Tameside is her primary home".
The Conservatives have accused Ms Rayner of 'hypocritical tax avoidance by a minister who supports higher taxes on family homes, high-value homes, and second homes'. They have referred her to Sir Laurie Magnus, the Prime Minister's independent adviser on ministers' interests, who is set to decide in the coming days whether to open an investigation into Ms Rayner's behaviour.
However, the Deputy Prime Minister's team have denied the allegations and maintain that no wrongdoing has taken place. A spokesperson for Ms Rayner stated that she paid the relevant duty owing on the purchase of the Hove property in line with relevant requirements.
The purchase of the flat in Hove joins Ms Rayner's property portfolio of two other residences. This development has been criticised as a symbol of 'hypocrisy' due to Ms Rayner's decision to give councils the power to hike tax on second homes.
Meanwhile, fellow Labour MP Matthew Pennycook insists that the current rates of housebuilding are "not good enough" and that Labour has been targeting "large scale housing developments" across the country. Care minister Stephen Kinnock defended Ms Rayner, stating that she has "done absolutely nothing wrong."
The independent advisor to the Prime Minister to whom the Conservatives referred Angela Rayner regarding her tax matters and possible ethical violations is not named explicitly in the search results; however, it is described as an independent government advisor who found that she had violated the ministerial code by not paying the correct taxes.
Last week, Ms Rayner was spotted near her new property for the first time, drinking a glass of rose wine while in a Dryrobe. This sighting has added fuel to the ongoing debate, with many questioning the Deputy Prime Minister's actions and intentions.
As the investigation continues, the spotlight remains on Ms Rayner and her council tax situation, testing her political mettle and raising questions about the ethical standards of those in power.
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