Angela Rayner's allies have accused James Cleverly of having "some brass neck" for criticising the deputy prime minister over her council tax arrangements. The Labour source dismissed the shadow housing secretary's attacks as political opportunism.
Rayner purchased a seaside flat in Hove, East Sussex, for over £700,000 this year. The property is subject to the 100% council tax premium on second homes that was introduced in April, which she now pays in full.
The Conservatives have accused the deputy prime minister of hypocrisy, pointing to her role in implementing the tax rules. They are demanding clarity over whether she had been paying the premium on her Admiralty House flat, the ministerial property that came with her position.
Conservative criticism
Cleverly said: "She has admitted to paying the premium on her flat but she refuses to say whether she has been paying the second-homes premium on Admiralty House since it came into force in April."
A Labour source hit back: "James Cleverly has some brass neck. Unlike him, Angela has never been a landlord or owned a property in London. The second homes premium was introduced by the Tory government while James Cleverly was home secretary, and he supported it at every stage."
Broader property debate
According to The i, 83 MPs across Parliament receive rental income from property investments, while Jeremy Hunt owns seven buy-to-let properties plus additional homes in multiple locations. A source close to Rayner said her housing arrangements reflected job demands rather than tax avoidance.
Richard Holden, the shadow transport secretary, also attacked Rayner over "questions around hypocrisy" regarding the tax measures. Some of Rayner's allies noted Holden's intervention was particularly notable given his previous clashes with her over personal tax affairs.
Labour critics have pointed out that Holden voted for the measures allowing councils to double tax on second homes under the Conservative government's Levelling-up and Regeneration Act last year. A Labour spokesperson defended the policy as giving "new powers for local communities" to improve sustainability.
Sources used: "The i", "Guardian", "Manchester Evening" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
