Angela Rayner graffiti: Will she be sacked by Sir Keir Starmer? What did the graffiti at her Hove flat say?
The graffiti has been daubed across parts of Angela Rayner’s flat in Hove, which is the subject of her tax affairs.
Sir Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner have condemned graffiti outside the Deputy Prime Minister’s seaside flat in Hove.
Ms Rayner’s spokesperson has called the vandalism “totally unjustifiable and beyond the pale” and said it is a matter for the police.
The incident comes as the senior Labour minister comes under intense pressure over her position, having admitted on Wednesday she had considered resigning after having been found to have paid enough stamp duty on her second home.
Ms Rayner has said she learned the initial tax advice received had been inaccurate and that she was liable to pay additional stamp duty.
That is because she had put her stake in her constituency home in Ashton into a trust set up in 2020 for her disabled son.
Here, The Scotsman answers key questions around the graffiti incident and what has been said in the wake of Ms Rayner’s admissions.
Where is Angela Rayner’s flat?
The Deputy First Minister’s flat, worth an estimated £800,000, is situated in Hove - a seaside resort town in East Sussex, with an estimated population of 91,900. The property is the same one Ms Rayner is accused of not having paid almost £40,000 in stamp duty on.
What did the graffiti say?
An offensive slur along with a much larger sign saying “tax evader!” have been pictured on a white wall on the outside of the home, after Ms Rayner admitted underpaying stamp duty on the property.
Similar graffiti has also been daubed on the pavement close to the front of the property.
Across the road from her seafront flat, “Tax evader Rayner” and “Rayner tax avoidance” have been graffitied on construction chipboard.
What has Sir Keir Starmer, Downing Street and Angela Rayner said?
A Downing Street spokesman said: “Some of you may have seen the photos of the vandalism of the Deputy Prime Minister’s home this morning. The Prime Minister condemns this vandalism in the strongest possible terms.
“Whatever scrutiny our parliamentarians may face, it is appalling that their private homes should be targeted in this way.”
READ MORE: Angela Rayner: Why did she not pay enough stamp duty? Who is her son? What is stamp duty?
The Deputy Prime Minister’s spokesperson said: “This vandalism to residents’ homes is totally unjustifiable and beyond the pale. Neither Angela nor her neighbours deserve to be subjected to harassment and intimidation.
“It will rightly be a matter for the police to take action as they deem appropriate.”
How have locals in Hove reacted?
Local residents in Hove have been coming to inspect the graffiti on Thursday morning.
MP for Hove and Portslade, Peter Kyle said “Hove is better than this” as he expressed disappointment at the graffiti.
Mr Kyle, the Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary, said: “I’m really disappointed that the heritage wall has been defaced over this issue. Hove is better than this.
“There are many, many ways people can express their anger and disappointment in Angela Rayner, including reporting her to the Commissioner for Standards. But defacing a wall is not one of those ways.”
Sussex Police has been contacted for comment.
Will Angela Rayner resign? Will she be sacked?
It is understood Ms Rayner is spending the day meeting regional mayors, including West Yorkshire’s Labour Tracy Brabin and the North East’s Kim McGuinness, at Derbyshire stately home Chatsworth House.
Sir Keir said he would “act on” the conclusions of his independent adviser’s investigation” into Ms Rayner, as he declined to say whether he would sack his deputy if she was found to have breached the ministerial code.
In an interview with the BBC, the Prime Minister said: “There’s a clear procedure. I strengthened that procedure. It is now taking place.
“I am expecting a result pretty quickly. I do want it to be comprehensive, as you’d expect. And then, of course, I will act on whatever the report is that’s put in front of me.”
Asked whether he would sack Ms Rayner, Sir Keir said: “Angela Rayner has referred herself to the independent adviser. My experience is he will be comprehensive in the report that he gives me, it will be quick, and that’s what I’m expecting.
“And so I want to let that process take its course. I did strengthen that process, so she’s done the right thing, referred to the independent adviser, and now he will do his work and report back to me.”
Earlier, a Number 10 spokesperson said Sir Keir was kept informed “as appropriate” about the steps Ms Rayner had taken over her tax affairs.
Downing Street faced repeated questions from journalists about what the Prime Minister knew about his deputy’s tax affairs and when, after a series of conflicting statements from different figures in Government.
A No 10 spokesman said on Thursday: “The Prime Minister was kept updated on steps that the Deputy Prime Minister has taken, as was appropriate.
“As soon as that final legal opinion was received by the Deputy Prime Minister on Wednesday morning she immediately took steps to self-refer herself to the IA [independent adviser], and she updated the Prime Minister at the earliest opportunity as well.”
Asked if Sir Keir believed Ms Rayner had been transparent with him, the spokesman said: “The Prime Minister has been updated on the steps that the Deputy Prime Minister has taken – you’ve got his words from yesterday in the House when he said she has gone over and above in setting out the details.”