Angela Rayner has said she has been cleared of deliberate wrongdoing in an investigation over her tax affairs in relation to the purchase of a flat in Hove.
Ms Rayner, the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, aas settled £40,000 in unpaid stamp duty, but has not paid any penalty as a result of the HMRC investigation into her underpayment of the levy on a property purchase.
The row triggered her resignation from the Government and had overshadowed her prospects of a potential leadership run.
She said she was “relieved” she could “get on with my job”. In a statement, the former deputy leader said:” I welcome HMRC’s conclusion, which has cleared me of any wrongdoing.
“I have been exonerated by HMRC of the accusation that I deliberately sought to avoid tax.
“When purchasing a home of my own with a mortgage, I did not own any other property and had no personal financial interest in the court-instructed trust set up to manage my son’s financial award. I was advised by experts that I should pay stamp duty at the standard rate.
“I set out to pay the correct amount of tax. I took reasonable care and acted in good faith, based on the expert advice I received, and HMRC has accepted this.
“I have always sought to act with integrity, and I believe politicians should be held to high standards – that is why I resigned from Government and co-operated fully with HMRC.
“I wanted to ensure that I paid every penny that I owed, and have done so. I am relieved that my family can now move on – and that I can get on with my job.”
She’s left that a bit late, hasn’t she? She should have just paid it in the first place and avoided all this scandal. How could she think she wasn’t going to be scrutinised over everything she did in her position? It used to be said that the Tories were famous for sex scandals, and Labour, financial. Maybe she’s just carrying on that tradition.
And you frequently pay tax you don’t think you owe, Tracy?
If the housing minister does not understand the rules/law HMRC should now also drop ALL court cases for people that has done the same thing.
Plus cleared on the day a leadership challenge might happen looks a bit odd but i suppose Labour and the Tories are the same these days just in it for self gain.
Henceforth, all ministers shall have a complete understanding of all primary legislation and statutory instruments pertaining to their office else all miscreants must be found not guilty (irrespective of their guilt).
OK, thanks for your contribution Robert.
Ms Rayner sold her remaining interest in her Ashton-under-Lyne family home to a trust set up for her disabled son, and bought a flat in Hove. She paid stamp duty at the standard rate of around £30,000.
Stamp duty is higher if you are buying a second home; Ms Rayner didn’t pay that higher rate. Her conveyancer and a trusts lawyer had both told her standard rate applied – but both had explicitly said this was not specialist tax advice. One “suggested” she obtain specialist tax advice; the other “recommended” it. However Ms Rayner did not obtain tax advice.
I don’t think this is about having a full understanding of housing related tax legislation, although it does not seem an unreasonable expectation from the housing minister.
Rather, this is about whether Raynor acted properly given the advice she received.
HMRC have decided she was not “careless”, and so no penalty is being charged. How? I sympathise with her circumstances but this HMRC decision is one I highly doubt anyone else in these circumstances would get.
After the story about her alleged tax avoidance broke, Ms Rayner instructed a tax KC, who advised that the higher rate for additional dwellings did in fact apply.
The housing minister was undertaking a complex transaction involving a court-ordered trust for a disabled child and the purchase of a second property. She was twice told to obtain specialist tax advice.
How can it be that she is considered to have taken reasonable care by not doing so?
If the Health Minister does not understand all the clinical and legal aspects of everything in healthcare, then all court cases for malpractice should be dropped for people who have done the same thing.
It’s absurd logic, Robert. Although the timing is very convenient.
SHe was the HOUSING minister, Dave.
Are you really this thick to not realise that a woman like that would know the rules?
And if she didn’t, she was rightfully dismissed…
So she has been cleared on the day a leadership bid might happen?something not quite right.
HMRC should now also drop ALL court cases for anyone that has done the same thing as lets face it if the housing minister does not understand the rules/law how can HMRC expect anyone else to.
Or maybe it was cleared on the day of a leadership bid that may happen, to make it seem like something is not quite right. Easily twisted the other way!
public officials in the UK are held to a higher standard of conduct and are expected to set an example regarding tax compliance and honesty, with specific prohibitions against council tax fraud and misleading authorities over multiple home addresses.Public Official Obligations and StandardsCode of Conduct: Holders of public office must adhere to the Nolan Principles of Public Life, which include integrity, objectivity, accountability, and honesty.Leading by Example: Senior management and public officials are explicitly expected to play an active role in fraud prevention, promoting a culture of openness, and leading by example.Misleading the Public: The Public Office (Accountability) Bill 2024-26 proposes new statutory offences designed to capture “serious dishonesty” and misbehaviour by public officials, including misleading the public.Council Tax Fraud and Multiple AddressesMisleading a council about home addresses—such as claiming a single-person discount while a partner lives there, or not declaring a second home—is considered a criminal offence.Consequences: Penalties for council tax fraud range from fines to 10 years in prison, along with potential Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 recovery of assets.Detection: Councils use data matching against credit reference agencies to verify occupancy.Second Homes: If a person is responsible for more than one property, failing to declare a second home to the council can be classed as fraud.
Well said, Lesley. If a Deputy Prime Minister (as she then was) doesn’t know, they ask. Or pay for professional advice in a personal situation to avoid any mistakes that might cost them a lot more dearly financially or politically down the line. People in the highest positions are watched like hawks with every journalist and political enemy trying to catch them out and they would be arrogant or naive to assume otherwise. Considering the HMRC phonelines only operate between 8am-6pm, who believes she had a 6.30am call from HMRC either? She really can’t stop digging large holes for herself.
Speaking of digging large holes, Tracy…
It’s been reported multiple times that she did ask for professional advice.
Also, why would the helpline be calling her? Think.
I disagree – she was given a non-expert opinion and told at the time this was not an expert opinion. She knowingly took this risk and it was a a poor decision.
Her conveyancer and a trusts lawyer had both told her standard rate applied – but both had explicitly said this was not specialist tax advice. One “suggested” she obtain specialist tax advice; the other “recommended” it. However Ms Rayner did not obtain tax advice.
It was only after the story about her alleged tax avoidance broke, Ms Rayner instructed a tax KC, who advised that the higher rate for additional dwellings did in fact apply.
Her situation was certainly not a standard one, that was for sure. I can’t argue that it was a poor decision, especially in hindsight, to not get specialist advice. I don’t accept Tracy’s bad-faith argument, though. As soon as it was highlighted to be a problem, she did what you said, and didn’t beat around the bush to refer herself.
Making a mistake was bad; owning up to it and immediately dealing with it was professional. Especially when at the time, we’d just gotten away from Boris Rulebreaker Johnson, who did everything he could to obfuscate his wrongdoing.
April 2022, a Mail on Sunday article reported anonymous claims from Tory MPs that Labour Deputy Leader Angela Rayner attempted to distract Boris Johnson in the House of Commons by crossing and uncrossing her legs, termed a “‘Basic Instinct’ ploy”. Rayner slammed the story as a “perverted smear” and sexist, saying she felt “crestfallen” and “really down” about it.
Problem is that her solicitors have publicly denied her account of them giving that inaccurate advice to her. They are ready to take her to court over the accusations of being given poor legal advice. Clearly she lied and the system is giving her special treatment yet again.
The problem is that her solicitors have publicly denied her account of them giving that inaccurate advice to her. They are ready to take her to court over the accusations of being given poor legal advice. Clearly the system is giving her special treatment.
Lies, lies and more lies.
Snout in the trough like the rest of them, while pretending to be of the people.