Lawyers used by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner to buy a flat in Hove have denied giving her tax advice, contradicting her claim that incorrect legal advice led to an underpayment of stamp duty. Rayner admitted this week that she paid £30,000 in stamp duty on the £800,000 property, when the correct amount was £70,000.
Verrico and Associates, the conveyancing firm that handled the purchase, said its lawyers 'never' gave Rayner tax advice and were being made 'scapegoats'. Managing director Joanna Verrico stated the firm used HMRC's online calculator based on information provided by Rayner, and that they always refer clients to tax experts for such matters.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer declined to say whether he would sack Rayner if she is found to have breached the ministerial code, but said he would act on the findings of an investigation by independent standards adviser Sir Laurie Magnus. Rayner referred herself for the probe on Wednesday.
The controversy has sparked calls for Rayner's resignation from the Conservative Party, with chairman Kevin Hollinrake writing to HMRC requesting a tax evasion investigation. Rayner explained the underpayment stemmed from a trust set up for her disabled son, which she used to fund the deposit on the flat.
Meanwhile, graffiti branding Rayner a 'tax evader' appeared outside her seaside flat, which her spokesperson condemned as 'totally unjustifiable' and a matter for police.
