Angela Rayner did nothing wrong, David Lammy insists amid fresh tax questions
The Mail On Sunday newspaper claims to have fresh evidence the Labour deputy leader did not correctly outline her tax arrangements.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Conservatives are attempting to distract from economic issues facing voters ahead of the May elections by foregrounding questions about Angela Raynerās tax, David Lammy has claimed.
The Mail On Sunday newspaper claims to have fresh evidence the Labour deputy leader did not correctly outline her tax arrangements.
It pointed to social media posts in which she referred to her husbandās house as āhomeā, while maintaining her council house was her principle residence.
The newspaper has previously questioned whether she paid enough tax on the 2015 sale of her Stockport home, as it suggested this was not her primary address.
Asked about the reports by Sky Newsā Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, shadow foreign secretary Mr Lammy said his colleague has ādone nothing wrongā.
He said the newspaper merely had evidence Ms Rayner āhad and has a blended familyā.
āYou meet someone, they have children, a previous arrangement. Many families up and down the country live in more than one home,ā he added.
āThatās what the photos I saw reflects and itās consistent with the advice that Angela took in terms of her tax affairs from accountants and from lawyers. I donāt think this is a story.ā
He continued to state that Ms Rayner did not need to publish legal advice she had received on the matter.
The Labour frontbencher later suggested the story was an attempt to distract from the May 2 local elections.
Mr Lammy told the BBCāS Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: āWhy do we land on this northern woman who had an arrangement with her husband, a blended family, why do we focus on her and say that she should be the exception?
āShe shouldnāt be the exception. She hasnāt broken any rules.
āThis is because of the May elections and the Tories not wanting to concentrate on their actions.
āOn rising inflation, of cost of living, on rising utility bills. Those are the issues that we should be focused on, and those are the issues that they want us to obscure.ā
Deputy chairman of the Conservative Party James Daly urged Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to āshow some leadership and open a full, transparent and independent investigationā into Ms Raynerās tax affairs.
āShe should stop dismissing and distracting and come clean now,ā Mr Daly added.