Deputy PM Rayner Lawyers Deny Giving Tax Advice Amid Stamp Duty Probe

Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, admitted to underpaying stamp duty on a flat she purchased in Hove, attributing the error to incorrect legal advice. However, Verrico & Associates, the conveyancing firm involved in the transaction, denied ever providing tax or trust advice, stating they relied on HMRC’s online calculator using information supplied by Rayner and that they always advise clients to consult tax experts for such matters. The firm expressed feeling scapegoated amid the controversy, emphasizing their role was limited to conveyancing and not tax advice. Rayner’s admission has triggered an investigation by the Prime Minister’s Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests, Sir Laurie Magnus, who will determine if she breached the ministerial code. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to act on the adviser’s findings but has declined to say whether he would dismiss Rayner if a breach is confirmed. The situation continues to put Rayner’s political future in jeopardy as the verdict is expected imminently.