by Sir Keir Starmer mounted his strongest defense of Angela Rayner on Wednesday, accusing “billionaire” Rishi Sunak of “smearing a working-class woman” in a row over her previous living arrangements.
As police confirmed they are investigating a number of allegations about Ms Rayner’s former council house, the Labor leader accused the Prime Minister himself of taking advantage of “schemes to avoid millions of pounds in tax “.
Addressing Mr Sunak at Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir said: “We have a billionaire prime minister and a billionaire colleague. [Lord Ashcroft] both of whose families have used schemes to avoid millions of pounds in tax smears on a working-class woman.”
The Prime Minister urged Sir Keir to spend less time reading Liz Truss’ new book and more time looking at his deputy’s tax advice.
The exchange came as the former Tory minister joined high-profile figures defending Ms Rayner in the deepening row over the sale of her former council house.
Amid ongoing questions about whether she avoided paying the right tax or registered correctly at the right address, Nick Boles, MP for nine years, said the attacks were “one of the spectacles biggest hypothermia I’ve ever seen”.
Former Conservative MP Matthew Parris also criticized what he called “the hound” of the Labor MP, and found it “outrageous: brutal, snobbish and completely out of proportion to any mistake that may (or may not) ) to have done”.
Former chief regional crown prosecutor Nazir Afzal also said that “based on what is in the public eye”, the SPC would not take any action against Ms Rayner.
Their comments come as Stephen Watson, chief constable of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), suggested there were multiple allegations that could extend beyond their housing arrangements.
The force previously announced it was investigating the deputy Labor leader over the sale of her Stockport council house and whether she breached electoral law by giving false information about her address during the 2010s.
Speaking on BBC Radio Manchester, Mr Watson said: “What I would say is not consistent with what we’ve put out publicly is that some assertions are being disputed, I don’t have to say that to people.
“We have decided, upon initial assessment, that we are unlikely to pursue an investigation. Upon further investigation or the provision of additional information, we have re-evaluated that decision and have announced that we will launch a formal investigation.”
He added: “That’s a neutral act, it doesn’t suggest that intelligence gives us any hard or fast evidence that we can base anything on at this point. It’s simply that we have an allegation, these allegations are in the public eye, we’re going to get to the bottom of what happened.”
It comes as The Rising Police are reportedly investigating “tax matters and other issues” related to her housing affairs. A source told the newspaper: “He’s very resourceful, it’s not just a question. The extent of the matter and clear public interest is to be fully investigated.”
The Rising It is reported that the authorities are considering a number of questions about Ms Rayner’s affairs, including whether she broke electoral law, whether she paid the correct amount of capital gains tax when she sold her property, and what the tax arrangements were. council was at Vicarage Road.
The investigation into Ms Rayner was launched after Conservative MP and party deputy chairman James Daly complained to the police after GMP had previously said it would not be investigating the allegations. Mr Daly said he had been made aware of neighbors contradicting Ms Rayner’s statement that her property, separate from her husband’s, was her main residence.
The shadow secretary has vowed to resign if found guilty but has said she is confident she has done nothing wrong.
The Labor Party said it remains confident Ms Rayner followed the rules, and the Ashton-under-Lyne MP “welcomes the opportunity to set out the facts with the police”.
Sir Keir welcomed the police inquiry into the sale of Ms Rayner’s council house and said he would allow a “line to be drawn” on the issue.
Some legal experts have said that even if Ms Rayner was found to have provided false information, it is unlikely that any further action would be taken.
Scott Wortley, a law lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, says any potential prosecution should have been launched within a year of the suspected crime.
Providing false information is an offense under Section 13D of the Representation of the People Act 1983, but the legislation imposes a one-year time limit for bringing any charge. As the allegations regarding Ms Rayner relate to before 2015, it suggests that it is unlikely that she could be prosecuted.
Magistrates may extend that deadline in certain circumstances, but only by another year, according to the Act.
