Even friends of Angela Rayner are sceptical about key part of her defence

Badenoch slams Rayner 'hypocrisy' over property tax row

Kemi Badenoch criticises Deputy PM Angela Rayner, saying Labour ministers are seeking to raise taxes while she tries to avoid paying her own. She calls the situation "hypocrisy" and says Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has described tax evasion as a criminal offence, must apply the same standards to his own front bench. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

Angela Rayner admits she owes tax on former home

Angela Rayner admits she owes additional tax on her Hove flat, after taking expert legal advice. She says she initially relied on counsel that she was liable for standard stamp duty but later found this was inaccurate due to a family trust. The deputy prime minister has alerted the independent adviser on the ministerial code and HMRC, saying she will pay any tax owed and fully comply. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

Badenoch: Starmer should sack deputy PM Rayner

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the prime minister “should sack” deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, questioning Labour’s response to her tax affairs. She suggested a Conservative deputy in the same position would have faced far less sympathy and criticised what she described as Labour’s hypocrisy on tax issues. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn