Labour’s local election launch overshadowed by Rayner row
SIR Keir Starmer faced more awkward questions over the Angela Rayner tax row yesterday as Labour kicked off its local election campaign.
The party leader was joined by Ms Rayner as they made their pitch to the country from Dudley in the West Midlands. They shared an awkward embrace and kiss on the cheek.
It comes as Greater Manchester Police said it was reassessing its decision not to investigate allegations that Ms Rayner gave false information on official documents.
Labour’s deputy leader has come under the spotlight in recent weeks over the 2015 sale of a former council house she owned in Stockport. She has been accused of avoiding capital gains tax – which she denies.
Ms Rayner has also faced scrutiny over claims that in 2010 she may have lived mainly at her then husband’s address, despite registering to vote under her own – which could be a breach of electoral rules.
The MP, right, again denied any wrongdoing yesterday after saying she had received legal advice that no rules were broken.
She also insisted that she will not publish the tax advice she claims exonerates her. The deputy leader said: “That’s my personal tax advice.
“But I’m happy to comply with the necessary authorities that want to see that.”
The Daily Express pressed Sir Keir over whether he will hold Ms Rayner to the same high standards they have demanded of Tory politicians if the police decide to investigate and conclude there was wrongdoing.
Last year Ms Rayner called for the resignation of then-Tory chairman Nadhim Zahawi as he faced tax questions of his own.
He is believed to have paid a penalty as part of an estimated £4.8million settlement with HMRC. The tax probe took place while he was Chancellor in 2022.
Sir Keir said: “Angela has not broken any rules, she’s taken legal and tax advice which has satisfied her and us and me.”
The Labour leader said his party will not publish it. But a spokesman later admitted Sir Keir has not seen it himself. It prompted Mr Zahawi’s former adviser in the Treasury to accuse Ms Rayner of “classic politician hypocrisy that voters absolutely hate”.
James Price said: “Ms Rayner was happy to throw accusations around about my old boss, but it turns out that she has many questions to answer of her own.” Sir Keir launched his campaign from the Black Country Institute for Technology saying the venue was picked due to Boris Johnson launching his levellingup mission there. The Labour leader said it “struck a chord” with voters in 2019 and is a “good ambition for Britain”. But he stressed that the Tories had failed to “turn the tide”.