A resident has paid for graffiti to be cleaned off from outside Angela Rayner’s seaside flat in Hove, Brighton and Hove City Council said.
The words “bitch” and “tax evader” appeared on a white wall outside her home earlier this week, after it emerged that Ms Rayner admitted underpaying stamp duty on the property.
Ms Rayner resigned as Deputy Prime Minister, Housing Secretary and deputy Labour leader yesterday (Friday 5 September) after an official inquiry into the admission.
The Prime Minister and Ms Rayner both condemned the vandalism and the council said yesterday: “Due to security concerns, and in line with our policy of removal of offensive graffiti, we have removed graffiti reported in Hove. This has been paid for by a resident.”
Ms Rayner’s spokesman has called the vandalism “totally unjustifiable and beyond the pale” and said that it was a matter for the police.
More graffiti appeared on a chipboard construction hoarding across the road from her seafront flat, saying “Tax evader Rayner” and “Rayner tax avoidance”.
A Downing Street spokesman previously said: “Some of you may have seen the photos of the vandalism of the Deputy Prime Minister’s home.
“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.”
Similar graffiti was also daubed on the pavement close to the front of the property.
Ms Rayner’s spokesperson said: “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 Labour MP for Hove and Portslade, Peter Kyle, became Business and Trade Secretary in the cabinet reshuffle after Ms Rayner resigned.
Mr Kyle said: “I’m really disappointed that the heritage wall has been defaced over this issue. Hove is better than this.
“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.”
Workers from the council turned up to clear off the graffiti on Thursday afternoon but withdrew after complaints from locals about how quickly the clean up was happening compared with similar vandalism across the city.
Sussex Police said on Thursday: “We have been made aware of graffiti outside an address in Hove.
“The matter is being treated as criminal damage and we are proactively making inquiries to gather information as to the circumstances.
“We will be contacting the homeowner to identify and address any further concerns.
“Anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting serial 528 of 04/09.”
Such a shame one has done this
She has done so much. Housing for everyone. Crime down. Immigration down. We are all feeling richer from Labour savings and tax reductions. Homelessness disappearing.
Mindfulness not graffiti is what we need. We need to be mindful of mindfulness
Really? Can you provide facts and figures?
Or is this a joke?
1000s of migrant men escaping war have been given homes in the last few weeks something tories would not have done! She has meant they don’t become homeless
You must be living on another planet. Crime up. Homelessness up. 1000s have invaded the uk and taken homes in a housing crisis.
Just go to Hove lawns you will see homeless in tents opposite the hotel housing illegal immigrants. But it is sad that a MP’s home is a target i hope more cctv is installed to protect the area.
Respect should be given to that resident for paying for the cleanup.
Was talking to a friend the other day about how many people really struggle sometimes to express themselves without resorting to abuse, aggressiveness and destruction. This vandalism seems to be a core example of that.
What a shame she didn’t pay to have it cleaned up, but why would she.
Maybe Angela Rayner, being the owner, was also the resident who paid to have the graffiti removed. I don’t know, you don’t know. Only the Council and the resident concerned know.
If a private resident paid for this why would they bother going through the council rather than hiring a private painter? This makes no sense and smacks of a BHCC PR face saving exercise. Especially following Rayner’s resignation when residents are going to be even more furious.
I think it’s the wording of the article. I’m reading it as Council Workers came, but withdrew, then a private worker came in, and that was paid for by a resident?
Angela Rayner, you are welcome to sleep on the sofa round my council flat in Brighton, lol
Imagine living in your own home and, when you do one thing wrong, the local yobs resort to mob action, and they graffiti your wall?
This is despicable and an over-reaction.
This sort of public shaming is straight out of the Nazi handbook.
It’s actually reassuring that someone else in the same neighbourhood was willing to make the point that this yob behaviour is not acceptable.
If this had happened in my road then several of us would have been straight out there with a paint brush.
Hopefully we , as a society of tolerance, are not done yet.