Starmer Breaks Silence at PMQs After Rayner Admits Underpaying Stamp Duty On \u00a3800k Hove FlatYour support helps us to tell the story<\/p>\n
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n
Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong>Read more<\/p>\n The Conservatives have called for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to investigate Angela Rayner after she admitted<\/a> to not paying the correct stamp duty on her flat.<\/p>\n The deputy prime minister\u2019s explanation that she was given inaccurate legal advice \u201ccannot withstand scrutiny\u201d, Tory party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said in a letter to HMRC calling for the tax authority to open a tax evasion investigation.<\/p>\n Earlier, Sir Keir Starmer<\/a> defended Ms Angela Rayner <\/a>amid calls for her to be sacked. In the first PMQs since summer recess, the prime minister said he was \u201cproud\u201d 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.<\/p>\n He also hit out at Reform UK leader Nigel Farage<\/a>, 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 \u201cbadmouth and talk down our country\u201d.<\/p>\n During the meeting, Mr Farage was accused of trying to \u201cimpress the tech bros\u201d in order to secure money to fund his party and dubbed a “Putin loving free speech imposter and Trump sycophant” by a US representative.<\/p>\n Earlier on Wednesday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed a late Budget<\/a> date of November 26 amid concerns over soaring borrowing costs. In the announcement she admitted the economy \u201cisn\u2019t working well enough\u201d. <\/p>\n <\/a>Reform media ban in Nottinghamshire is a disturbing glimpse of a future with Farage in power<\/p>\n Rebecca Whittaker4 September 2025 04:00<\/p>\n <\/a>Recap: What has Angela Rayner said about the underpayment of stamp duty on her flat in Hove? <\/p>\n Angela Rayner admitted an underpayment of stamp duty on a seaside flat in Hove.<\/p>\n On Wednesday said she had taken legal advice when she bought the south coast flat, which suggested she was \u201cliable to pay standard stamp duty\u201d, but had then sought \u201cfurther advice from a leading tax counsel\u201d after headlines about the arrangement.<\/p>\n She learned that the initial advice had been inaccurate and she was liable to pay additional stamp duty.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Tax experts said the Hove property could not be treated as her only residence because of the nature of the trust.<\/p>\n Rebecca Whittaker4 September 2025 03:00<\/p>\n <\/a>Watch: Chancellor Rachel Reeves admits economy ‘isn’t working well enough’Chancellor Rachel Reeves admits economy ‘isn’t working well enough’<\/p>\n Rebecca Whittaker4 September 2025 02:00<\/p>\n <\/a>Downing Street did not disclose if Rayner would be sacked<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The Prime Minister\u2019s spokesman said: \u201cAs you\u2019d expect, we\u2019re not going to get ahead of the process.<\/p>\n \u201cAs she\u2019s set out in her statement today, she\u2019s referred herself to the independent adviser. She will provide him with her fullest co-operation and access to all the information he requires.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is now up to the independent adviser to conduct that process.\u201d<\/p>\n No 10 refused to say when the Prime Minister was informed about his deputy\u2019s tax underpayment or whether he had seen the legal advice she had received.<\/p>\n Sir Keir believes Ms Rayner should \u201cpay what is due\u201d, his spokesman said.<\/p>\n Rebecca Whittaker4 September 2025 01:00<\/p>\n <\/a>Watch: Congressman Hank Johnson accuses Nigel Farage of ‘carrying water for Elon Musk’Congressman Hank Johnson accuses Nigel Farage of ‘carrying water for Elon Musk’<\/p>\n Rebecca Whittaker4 September 2025 00:00<\/p>\n <\/a>Kevin Hollinrake wrote a letter to HMRC calling for Rayner to be investigated<\/p>\n Tory party chairman Kevin Hollinrake called for HMRC to open an investigation into Angela Rayner.<\/p>\n The letter, which has been shared with Sir Laurie Magnus, the Prime Minister\u2019s independent ethics adviser, added: \u201cI am requesting that HMRC undertake a full investigation into this matter and consider the application of a penalty for tax evasion.<\/p>\n \u201cI note that HMRC guidance on this issue recommends a penalty based on Potential Lost Revenue, of 30% of the revenue for an \u2018careless\u2019 inaccuracy (which would be \u00a312,000), to 100% (\u00a340,000) for a deliberate inaccuracy.<\/p>\n \u201cYou may wish to obtain a copy of the \u2018advice\u2019 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 \u2018advice\u2019 actually from a tax lawyer or chartered tax adviser?\u201d<\/p>\n Rebecca Whittaker3 September 2025 23:00<\/p>\n <\/a>Tories call for HMRC to open investigation into Angela Rayner over stamp duty<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Deputy Prime Minister Ms Rayner\u2019s explanation that she was given inaccurate legal advice \u201ccannot withstand scrutiny\u201d, 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.<\/p>\n The Conservatives called for the probe after Sir Keir Starmer backed his deputy at Prime Minister\u2019s Questions, and insisted he was \u201cvery proud to sit alongside\u201d her.<\/p>\n Rebecca Whittaker3 September 2025 22:29<\/p>\n <\/a>Angela Rayner is a ‘hypocrite’ Reform UK deputy leader claims<\/p>\n Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice called Angela Rayner a \u201chypocrite\u201d over her stamp duty error. <\/p>\n He told Sky News: \u201cShe was so vocal in attacking opposing politicians when she was in opposition that she can\u2019t stand up and say \u2018I\u2019m the biggest hypocrite in the land\u2019. She has to offer her resignation to the Prime Minister.\u201d<\/p>\n Rebecca Whittaker3 September 2025 22:00<\/p>\n