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The Conservatives have called for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to investigate Angela Rayner after she admitted to not paying the correct stamp duty on her flat.
The deputy prime minister’s explanation that she was given inaccurate legal advice “cannot withstand scrutiny”, Tory party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said in a letter to HMRC calling for the tax authority to open a tax evasion investigation.
Earlier, Sir Keir Starmer defended Ms Angela Rayner amid calls for her to be sacked. In the first PMQs since summer recess, the prime minister said he was “proud” to sit alongside Ms Rayner, saying he welcomed her referral to the ethics advisor and praising her pledge to build 1.5 million new homes.
He also hit out at Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who has travelled to the US today to speak in Congress. Responding to a question about the Online Safety Act, which Mr Farage has publicly opposed, the prime minister said accused Mr Farage of flying to America to “badmouth and talk down our country”.
During the meeting, Mr Farage was accused of trying to “impress the tech bros” in order to secure money to fund his party and dubbed a “Putin loving free speech imposter and Trump sycophant” by a US representative.
Earlier on Wednesday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed a late Budget date of November 26 amid concerns over soaring borrowing costs. In the announcement she admitted the economy “isn’t working well enough”.
Rebecca Whittaker4 September 2025 04:00
Angela Rayner admitted an underpayment of stamp duty on a seaside flat in Hove.
On Wednesday said she had taken legal advice when she bought the south coast flat, which suggested she was “liable to pay standard stamp duty”, but had then sought “further advice from a leading tax counsel” after headlines about the arrangement.
She learned that the initial advice had been inaccurate and she was liable to pay additional stamp duty.
That is because she had put her stake in her constituency home in Ashton into a trust set up in 2020 for her disabled son.
Tax experts said the Hove property could not be treated as her only residence because of the nature of the trust.
Rebecca Whittaker4 September 2025 03:00
Rebecca Whittaker4 September 2025 02:00
Downing Street insisted Sir Keir had full confidence in Angela Rayner, but declined to say whether he would sack her if she was found to have breached ministerial standards.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “As you’d expect, we’re not going to get ahead of the process.
“As she’s set out in her statement today, she’s referred herself to the independent adviser. She will provide him with her fullest co-operation and access to all the information he requires.
“It is now up to the independent adviser to conduct that process.”
No 10 refused to say when the Prime Minister was informed about his deputy’s tax underpayment or whether he had seen the legal advice she had received.
Sir Keir believes Ms Rayner should “pay what is due”, his spokesman said.
Rebecca Whittaker4 September 2025 01:00
Rebecca Whittaker4 September 2025 00:00
Tory party chairman Kevin Hollinrake called for HMRC to open an investigation into Angela Rayner.
The letter, which has been shared with Sir Laurie Magnus, the Prime Minister’s independent ethics adviser, added: “I am requesting that HMRC undertake a full investigation into this matter and consider the application of a penalty for tax evasion.
“I note that HMRC guidance on this issue recommends a penalty based on Potential Lost Revenue, of 30% of the revenue for an ‘careless’ inaccuracy (which would be £12,000), to 100% (£40,000) for a deliberate inaccuracy.
“You may wish to obtain a copy of the ‘advice’ that she claims to have had, inspect her multiple title deeds on the Land Registry, and obtain a copy of the declaration of trust from 2023. Was this ‘advice’ actually from a tax lawyer or chartered tax adviser?”
Rebecca Whittaker3 September 2025 23:00
The taxman must launch an investigation into whether Angela Rayner has evaded tax after she admitted an underpayment of stamp duty on a seaside flat, the Conservatives have said.
Deputy Prime Minister Ms Rayner’s explanation that she was given inaccurate legal advice “cannot withstand scrutiny”, Tory party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said in a letter to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) calling for the tax authority to open a tax evasion investigation.
The Conservatives called for the probe after Sir Keir Starmer backed his deputy at Prime Minister’s Questions, and insisted he was “very proud to sit alongside” her.
Rebecca Whittaker3 September 2025 22:29
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice called Angela Rayner a “hypocrite” over her stamp duty error.
He told Sky News: “She was so vocal in attacking opposing politicians when she was in opposition that she can’t stand up and say ‘I’m the biggest hypocrite in the land’. She has to offer her resignation to the Prime Minister.”
Rebecca Whittaker3 September 2025 22:00
Rebecca Whittaker3 September 2025 21:40
Property expert and TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp posted on X: “I’ve always wanted everyone to understand that the so called 2nd home surcharge is a vicious little tax which catches people at the some of the most difficult stages of their life (sic).
“If Angela Rayner didn’t understand how it worked then how are the rest of us supposed to?”
Rebecca Whittaker3 September 2025 21:21