Police taking no further action on Rayner ‘draws a line’ under row, says Labour

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner had been dogged by questions about her living arrangements a decade ago.

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner will face ‘no further police action’ (Danny Lawson/PA) (PA Wire)

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner faces no further action after police and council investigations into her living arrangements.

The Ashton-under-Lyne MP had faced claims she may have broken electoral law and dodged capital gains tax and council tax.

Greater Manchester Police and Stockport Council both said they would take no further action.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: “Following allegations about Angela Rayner MP, Greater Manchester Police has completed a thorough, carefully considered and proportionate investigation.

“We have concluded that no further police action will be taken.”

The investigation was triggered by a complaint from Tory deputy chairman James Daly.

The police said matters involving tax did not fall within their jurisdiction but they had shared information with Stockport Council and HM Revenue and Customs.

Angela has always been clear that she was not liable for capital gains tax on the sale of the home she owned before she was an MP, that she was properly registered to vote, and paid the appropriate council tax

Labour Party spokesman

Stockport Council said it had reviewed the information and also concluded that no further action will be taken.

HMRC would not comment on an individual’s tax affairs, but it is understood they had already looked into the matter at Ms Rayner’s request and concluded there was no capital gains tax liability.

Questions about Ms Rayner’s living arrangements surfaced following suggestions in a book by former Tory deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft that she failed to properly declare her main home.

The unauthorised biography alleges that the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne bought her former council house, in Vicarage Road in Stockport, Greater Manchester in 2007 under the right-to-buy scheme.

Her then husband was listed at another address in Lowndes Lane, about a mile away, which had also been bought under the right-to-buy scheme.

In the same year as her wedding, Ms Rayner is said to have re-registered the births of her two youngest children, giving her address as where her husband resided.

Ms Rayner has insisted that Vicarage Road was her “principal property” despite her husband living elsewhere at the time.

In 2015, Ms Rayner sold the property, making a £48,500 profit.

Couples can normally only count one property as their main home for capital gains tax purposes, prompting questions over whether she should have paid it.

Mr Daly had alleged she may have made a false declaration about where she was living on the electoral register.

A Labour spokesman said: “The police have now completed their investigation into claims made by the Conservative Party deputy chairman and have concluded that no further action will be taken.

“Angela cooperated fully with the police investigation throughout.

“Angela has always been clear that she was not liable for capital gains tax on the sale of the home she owned before she was an MP, that she was properly registered to vote, and paid the appropriate council tax. She took expert tax and legal advice which confirms this.

“This draws a line under the matter.”