Rayner must be ‘crystal clear’ over her tax affairs

Former first minister and Labour peer Jack Mcconnell says Angela Rayner needs to be “as crystal clear as possible” over her tax affairs. Jack Mcconnell, of Glenscorrodale, said the deputy UK Labour leader needed to “get all the facts to the appropriate authorities” and then “into the public domain” to reassure the public that she had acted with integrity.

His comments come after questions were raised over whether Ms Rayner owes capital gains tax on her former council house, which she sold almost a decade ago.

She bought her council house in Stockport in 2007 for £79,000 and was registered to vote there until 2015 when she sold the property for £127,500.

Speaking to BBC’S Good Morning Scotland, Lord Mcconnell said: “I’ve said on a number of occasions about MPS and MSPS – whenever I was in these situations I found the best way to deal with them quickly is to determine all the facts.

“Sometimes you are aware of most of the facts yourself, but not all of them. Get all the facts to the appropriate authorities and if appropriate into the public domain to reassure people you have acted with integrity.

“That’s my advice to anyone in this situation, whether they are in Holyrood or Westminster, a government MP or an opposition MP. Be as crystal clear as possible on what has happened, and then be as open and transparent as possible.”

In 2010, Ms Rayner married her husband Mark. The Mail on Sunday has claimed Ms Rayner referred to her husband’s house as “home” while claiming her council house a mile away was her principal residence.