Angela Rayner goes to ground amid mounting questions over her tax affairs and ex council house
ANGELA Rayner went to ground last night as questions grew over her tax affairs and former council house.
Labour’s Deputy Leader is under fire over the 2015 sale of the Stockport semi she bought using right-to-buy.
She has criticised the policy and her party wants it scrapped.
While Ms Rayner has hit back at claims of hypocrisy, she is refusing to answer questions about her financial affairs.
They arose after she publicly stated she was not liable to pay thousands in capital gains tax on a £48,500 profit on the sale, despite appearing to live at another property in the Greater Manchester town.
She bought the council house in 2007 and said she lived there until it was sold — despite getting married in 2010 and her husband, Mark, owning another home.
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However, neighbours claim that, in fact, only her brother was living at the property.
Also, she registered her son’s birth to the property owned by her then-husband.
That home was sold in 2016 while they were still married.
HMRC, however, says capital gains tax relief can only be used on one primary property per couple — leading to calls for a proper explanation.
They state: “Married couples can only count one property as their main home at any one time.”
A spokesman for Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer refused to say the matter was closed and directed scrutiny to Ms Rayner’s office.
But Ms Rayner’s team attempted to pass inquiries to Labour HQ, before stonewalling on detailed questioning.
Tory MP Jonathan Gullis said: “Angela Rayner has questions to answer. If she has nothing to hide, she should have nothing to fear.”