Deputy PM Rayner Faces Tax Scandal Backlash, Resignation Calls

Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, has come under intense scrutiny and criticism over a £40,000 stamp duty surcharge she failed to pay on a recent property purchase. Rayner admitted to the error and referred herself for an ethics investigation, claiming she had relied on legal advice that later proved incorrect, though the conveyancing firm involved denied giving tax advice. Critics, including the Taxpayers' Alliance and Conservative Party Chairman Kevin Hollinrake, have condemned her as a hypocrite and liability, demanding she not receive any government payout and calling for her resignation. Her political future is uncertain as the Prime Minister has pledged to act on the findings of the investigation led by Sir Laurie Magnus. The controversy has also sparked public backlash, with graffiti vandalism targeting Rayner's property. Former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng added that if Rayner remains in her role, she would embody government hypocrisy, further intensifying calls for accountability.