In a fiery and deeply personal Prime Minister's Questions, Rishi Sunak turned his fire on Labour's Deputy Leader, accusing her of committing a 'real crime' against the very people she was elected to represent.
The Prime Minister's astonishing broadside came as he was pressed on the government's own record. Instead of defending his policies, Sunak pivoted to the ongoing police probe into Angela Rayner's past financial affairs, claiming her true offence was a dereliction of duty.
A Theatre of Avoidance
"While she's been forced to answer questions about her own actions," Sunak declared from the despatch box, "the real crime is what she's done to her constituents in Ashton-under-Lyne." He painted a picture of a shadow cabinet minister too distracted by a growing scandal to serve the public.
"She's taken the people of Ashton for granted," he charged, suggesting their needs had been sidelined for a "political soap opera" entirely of her own making.
Keir Starmer's Defence
Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer immediately leapt to his deputy's defence, branding the Prime Minister's comments a "desperate smear" from a man with no positive vision for the country.
"While he engages in pathetic personal attacks," Starmer retorted, "we have a plan for the country. He's got no answer on the NHS, no answer on the cost of living, so he resorts to this."
The Labour leader reiterated his full confidence in Rayner, who has consistently stated she has followed the rules at all times and will willingly cooperate with any investigation.
The Root of the Scandal
The controversy, which now involves Greater Manchester Police, centres on the sale of a council house in Stockport that Rayner owned in the early 2000s. Questions have been raised regarding whether it was correctly declared as her principal residence for capital gains tax purposes, and if the correct electoral registers were used at the time.
Despite the political storm swirling around her in Westminster, Rayner has maintained her public schedule, insisting she is focused on her shadow cabinet duties and her constituents.
The explosive exchange in the Commons signals that the government intends to keep the pressure on Rayner, ensuring this story remains firmly in the headlines for the foreseeable future.
