Laura Kuenssberg pinpoints ‘immediate political problem’ for ‘hypocrite’ Angela Rayner | Politics | News
BBC presenter Laura Kuenssberg has warned of an “immediate political problem” after police launched an investigation into Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner.
A police spokesman said the force was looking at “whether any offences have been committed” after claims she may have given false information about her main residence.
Ms Rayner denies any wrongdoing and Sir Keir Starmer said he was “fully confident” she complied with the rules.
But Laura Kuenssberg said the investigation leads to an “immediate political problem”, adding: “When Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak were being investigated by police over Partygate, Rayner herself suggested they should stand down just because of that.”
One Labour insider suggests “the reason this is particularly damaging for her is that she looks like a hypocrite – being a woman of the people who has come from nowhere was so valuable to her political brand – now she can’t be the attack dog on ethics and standards”.
The police investigation has been prompted by a complaint from Tory deputy chairman James Daly.
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: “We’re investigating whether any offences have been committed. This follows a reassessment of the information provided to us by Mr Daly.”
There are questions over whether the Ashton-under-Lyne MP should have paid capital gains tax on the 2015 sale of her ex-council house.
Sir Keir told ITV: “She’s given answers on the issue many, many times over, she’s clearly said she’ll cooperate with the police. I do think now is the time to let the police get on with their investigation, get on with the work they need to do, she’ll cooperate with that which is exactly what you’d expect of her.”
Ms Rayner bought the property in Vicarage Road in Stockport, Greater Manchester, with a 25% discount in 2007 under the right-to-buy scheme.
The former carer is said to have made a £48,500 profit when selling the house eight years later.
She has insisted she lived apart from Mark Rayner after they married in 2010 until she sold her property in 2015.
Her then-husband was listed at another address in Lowndes Lane, about a mile away, where Ms Rayner is said to have re-registered the births of her two youngest children.
