Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Accused of £40,000 Stamp Duty Avoidance

Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, has been accused of avoiding £40,000 in stamp duty on her £800,000 seaside flat in Hove by declaring it as her primary residence shortly after removing her name from the deed to her Greater Manchester home. By doing so, she paid £30,000 in stamp duty instead of the £70,000 typically charged on second homes. Rayner has informed Tameside council that her Greater Manchester house remains her primary residence, while notifying Brighton and Hove council that the seaside flat is a second home for council tax purposes. Although these arrangements are legal, they have sparked controversy and accusations of deliberately manipulating property status to reduce tax liabilities, including council tax on her grace-and-favour London flat. Conservatives have challenged her electoral registration, claiming she does not meet legal residency requirements in her constituency, which could make her liable for council tax on her Admiralty House apartment. Rayner's office denies any wrongdoing, stating that all duties and taxes have been properly paid in accordance with the law.