Angela Raynor only owns one property.

She was advised, and recommended, to seek specific legal advice about her complex tax affairs, and she did not.

Not the fault of the company who did the conveyancing nor the company who arranged the Trust, both of whom advised her independently to seek further advice; she tried to blame them.
Therefore: "she cannot be considered to have met the highest standards of proper conduct as envisaged by the Code."
A fairly damning indictment.

Exactly Eazybee

Interesting - I did not read it as a damning indictment, but as a genuine oversight in the face of a very complex legal situation relating to a trust fund. None of the letters published indicate that she was suspected to have deliberately misled the tax authorities and the general tone supports the fact that she is a woman of integrity.

As soon as she realised the mistake she took steps to pay the right stamp duty and has done so.

This woman has been hounded out by the media - I find it sickening.

MaizieD

It’s not even a house, PN, it’s a flat.

😂😂😂

Posher and more expensive than houses that many Gransnetters own though!

You could buy three × three-bedroom houses in many places for £800,000.

Luckygirl3

We need to let them get on with doing their jobs and ignore all the media-induced sidetracking rubbish.

Yes, now they have to learn new briefs and settle into new jobs!

Now that this 'fraud' has been resolved, please can they get on with sorting out all of those Covid PPE scams. The country must be owed millions in payback

Luckygirl3

Interesting - I did not read it as a damning indictment, but as a genuine oversight in the face of a very complex legal situation relating to a trust fund. None of the letters published indicate that she was suspected to have deliberately misled the tax authorities and the general tone supports the fact that she is a woman of integrity.

As soon as she realised the mistake she took steps to pay the right stamp duty and has done so.

This woman has been hounded out by the media - I find it sickening.

She broke the ministerial code. She did the right thing in resigning but I do wonder how mush pushing was involved. 🤔

I'm just so disappointed in her.

Luckygirl3

Interesting - I did not read it as a damning indictment, but as a genuine oversight in the face of a very complex legal situation relating to a trust fund. None of the letters published indicate that she was suspected to have deliberately misled the tax authorities and the general tone supports the fact that she is a woman of integrity.

As soon as she realised the mistake she took steps to pay the right stamp duty and has done so.

This woman has been hounded out by the media - I find it sickening.

I agree, Luckygirl. She really had no choice but to resign, and I think it says a lot about the state of the UK. I remember seeing her interviewed and talking about how Sure Start had taught her so much about parenting. Her background was such that she didn't realise you were supposed to talk to babies before they could understand you. She's come such a long way despite all that, but hey, her accent isn't cut glass, so she couldn't be allowed to succeed, and however much people claim this is all about tax and honesty, I don't think that's remotely the case.

She may not be someone with whom the middle class identify, but the poor and disadvantaged need representation too, and she was more than capable of understanding what it's like to be at the bottom of the pile.

Allira

MaizieD

It’s not even a house, PN, it’s a flat.

😂😂😂

Posher and more expensive than houses that many Gransnetters own though!

You could buy three × three-bedroom houses in many places for £800,000.

Some of us don't own a home, nor will we ever.

It is very disappointing.

I agree that the the poor and disadvantaged need representation too, and she was more than capable of understanding what it's like to be at the bottom of the pile. it’s a shame that what has happened has negative implications for those who want to rise above their origins.

I agree, Luckygirl. She really had no choice but to resign, and I think it says a lot about the state of the UK. I remember seeing her interviewed and talking about how Sure Start had taught her so much about parenting. Her background was such that she didn't realise you were supposed to talk to babies before they could understand you. She's come such a long way despite all that, but hey, her accent isn't cut glass, so she couldn't be allowed to succeed, and however much people claim this is all about tax and honesty, I don't think that's remotely the case. She may not be someone with whom the middle class identify, but the poor and disadvantaged need representation too, and she was more than capable of understanding what it's like to be at the bottom of the pile

Oh doodledog I agree with you 100%.

I think she had no choice, but she will be a loss to the Labour Party, and to our grass roots.

You’re right, this situation does say a lot about the UK today, and how those with the money (and the power it brings) will win in the end.

A working class lass from Stockport, who’s a bit ‘rough around the edges’ just ‘won’t do’ As tough as AR is, I think she’s been ground down by it all.

Anyway, she’ll be a great voice on the back benches, and lives to fight another day!

I think she should take herself off to Brighton tonight, get dolled up (maybe green trouser suit), and go out on the town, vape in one hand, big glass of wine in the other.

Go Angela💪🏻🍷

I think she should take herself off to Brighton tonight, get dolled up (maybe green trouser suit), and go out on the town, vape in one hand, big glass of wine in the other.
😁

Completely wrong LizzieDrip her downfall was all of her own doing.
Her accent nor anything else held her back and she was not only a Minister but Deputy PM.
In politics, you make a mistake or do something wrong, and quite rightly you either resign or are sacked.

Exactly Oreo -?there’s an awful lot of rubbish posted on the Angela Rayner threads.
John Prescott ( & numerous other Labour MPs ). hardly spoke like King Charles

If you are in high office you have to do everything right or if found out and have breached the ministerial code you have no choice but to resign. It was the latter that did for Angela Rayner. Ironically the ministerial code was tightened up by her party. She was advised to check the tax position but did not which was a serious error, and she has had to pay the price for her negligence which proved she was not suitable for high office. Now God help us we have Lammy.

I nearly spilt my tea this afternoon when Jonathan Ashworth was discussing her resignation. He said “she was a class act.” 🤣🤣🤣

I previously thought he talked a lot of sense and, he too, came from humble beginnings with an alcoholic father. But calling her a class act is just hysterical.

Luckygirl3 Interesting - I did not read it as a damning indictment, but as a genuine oversight in the face of a very complex legal situation relating to a trust fund. None of the letters published indicate that she was suspected to have deliberately misled the tax authorities

the general tone supports the fact that she is a woman of integrity.

As soon as she realised the mistake she took steps to pay the right stamp duty and has done so.

I agree.

I love regional accents and had nothing against hers but it was her use of language which was just awful.

Remember at the Labour conference when she said Conservatives were “a bunch of scum, homophobic, racist, misogynistic, absolutely vile, banana republic, nasty Etonian, piece of scum”. That showed her up far more than a regional accent.

Jane43

Lathyrus3

Well, that’s true.

As the parent of a minor who has property in trust, she is deemed the part owner of a house.

And she is also the owner of a flat.

Truth rather than headlines. I’m all for it.

Her son is 17 I believe, so if she had waited until he was 18 to buy her apartment it wouldn’t be a problem? I find it all rather sad.

Yes she only had to wait a few months till he was 18 but had she used a firm of solicitors and not a high street firm of conveyancers she wouldn’t be in this mess. Incredibly naive of her.

I agree Primrose53

On the BBC news a couple of nights ago she was talking about wanting to make sure “everything was done proper”
Ye gods.

Primrose53

I love regional accents and had nothing against hers but it was her use of language which was just awful.

Remember at the Labour conference when she said Conservatives were “a bunch of scum, homophobic, racist, misogynistic, absolutely vile, banana republic, nasty Etonian, piece of scum”. That showed her up far more than a regional accent.

Yes, regional accents are fine but that is not the kind of the language we expect those who represent us in Parliament to use. Nor the derogatory way she spoke about Rishi Sunak when he was Prime Minister.

I remember all the adverse comments when Boris Johnson used offensive language too.

Standards are dropping.

I really don't care how an MP speaks - it's what they do that matters to me. You would think in this day and age this sort of snobbery would have died out, but it hasn't.

She obviously made a grave mistake in only using licensed conveyancers who presumably would not have expertise regarding trusts, second homes, etc with regard to tax liability. It's possible that she spoke informally to individuals who gave their (incorrect) opinion as to her tax liability. But she should have got professional advice that was recorded in writing.

It sounds like she was trying to ensure her son was provided for and this made the matter much more complex. As a lay person, I would assume that if a house were to be put in trust for someone, that person would be the sole owner in law - but it seems that is not the case. MPs' deliberate acts of omission to avoid taxation - or to use their positions to improve their financial standing/gain financial favours - are, in my opinion, absolutely wrong but I am not sure Angela Rayner's case falls into those categories.

Of course regional accents are fine. If senior MPs were only selected from those from an Eton/Oxbridge background, we would lose out on potentially talented people.

However it’s not snobby to say our deputy prime minister, at the very least, should be able to communicate grammatically.

Oh for goodness give it a rest. Angela Rayner has resigned , why do you keep on and on about her.