Angela Rayner cleared by HMRC. What a coincidence!

But based on news of what he has done, or not done, not what he looks like or wears?
Women politicians do seem to get a worse deal in that way generally.

We are currently dealing with a trust, probate and a house sale.
We have had conflicting advice from solicitors.

Just saying.

The reason that Angela Rayner left her announcement about HMRC's decision until today, may have been because she, quite rightly, would have been criticised for making a distraction from yesterday's King' speech had she made the announcement on Tuesday or Wednesday.

NotSpaghetti

We are currently dealing with a trust, probate and a house sale.
We have had conflicting advice from solicitors.

Just saying.

It happens, whatever others might think.

Personally, and it’s only my opinion, Rayner has had to cap and fight her entire life, unlike many MPs no silver soon in her mouth, and I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t deliberately chuck this away over something as daft as trying to con the taxman!

Spoon, not soon!

She has, after a considerable delay, paid the money owing.

SDLT is payable within 14 days of the "effective date" of the transaction, which is usually the completion date of the property purchase. The return must be filed and the tax paid to HMRC within this timeframe to avoid penalties and interest.

HMRC charge interest on late payment of tax at 4% over base rate. The current rate set in January 2026 is 7.75%

If a penalty is deemed appropriate for SDLT: Up to 12 months late = 10% of duty; 12-24 months = 20%; over 24 months = 30%.

With interest alone, one would have to find a very good short term investment for £40,000 to make it not worth paying the tax as soon as HMRC deemed it was due.

In some people's eyes, her timing would always be wrong.
Cleared...no wrongdoing.

She was a minister.
Access available to the highest possible advice.
Conduct unbecoming.

It's definitely an interesting way to start a campaign...
This will never go away. At the end of the day she or a "member" of her team screwed up. It will never be forgotten by the press, I like many don't believe her excuses.

She was cleared, regardless of what anyone thinks.
I see no reason that HMRC would be complicit in deliberate fraud.

In some respects it is hard to understand HMRC concluding that Rayner was not careless. Dan Neidle has very clearly set out why he considers she was careless. OTOH, as he admits, neither he nor we know the whole facts of the case. And as he also makes clear:

None of this is to suggest any impropriety on Ms Rayner's part. There is no evidence she tried to avoid or evade tax – this was (in our view, and on the facts as we know them) a careless mistake.

Also crucially, We don't expect HMRC would be influenced by Ms Rayner's position - they were, after all, able to independently investigate a sitting Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Ms Rayner therefore had to pay an additional £40,000 (and, we expect, about £3,000 of interest).

That should be an end to it but the right wing media will never let up until they have destroyed her career and some here won't be happy until that happens.

I agree MissAdventure
If they haven't imposed a penalty then it was accepted to be an honest mistake.

I think nothing would give some people more pleasure than to see her being taken down a peg or two.

Her face well and truly doesn't fit.

This is just what many of us predicted when we posted against the idea of a leadership challenge - even worse chaos.

On the centre left of the party Angela Rayner, under unjustified attack about her tax affairs.

On the centre right Wes Streeting, soon no doubt to be under unjustified attack for having been friendly with Peter Mandelson.

Then there is the saintly Andy Burnham who hasn't played his cards very well and Ed Miliband who they didn't like much the first time.

Surely better to stick with what they have.

Angela Rayner has been cleared. No need to keep going over what happened.
I'm more interested in what is happening with Farage. Angela's tax problem resulted in her resignation.
Farage's 5 million 'gift' from a foreign businessman may, hopefully, have the same outcome.
I don't think Streeting or Rayner should become PM.

I’m more interested in the outcome of the investigation into Farage’s overlooked £5million.

I don't think Streeting or Rayner should become PM

Definitely not Streeting with his private health care donors, more than half the donations he has received, which seems very dubious for a Labour Health Secretary. It doesn't actually look as though he has much PLP support.

Probably not Rayner, though I think she will return to a Cabinet office.

Milliband looks likely, even if as a 'caretaker' pending an orderly contest later in the year.

I would be happy with Milliband

I have been opposed to Angela Rayner, ever since she was appointed as shadow Education Secretary and I heard her speak. She is totally unsuited to any job in government, mainly due to her woeful lack of education, which she has made no attempt to remedy, and the fact that she is only there by virtue of the influence of the unions. She has achieved little in her time in office other than her restrictive rules for landlords and employers, neither of which will contribute to economy growth or increased employment.

As long as every politician, of every party is held to the same level of accountability, and the same people who are now condemning Angela Rayner condemn everybody else, including those in the party they support as harshly, that is fine with me.

It really does show how poor the state of the Labour party is if Red Ed is the best prospect for PM

This thread may well benefit from widening it a tad, by looking at other possible contenders.

Anyone know much about Al Carns apart from his army record?

He’s been suggested.

Thank you Easybee.

Lets not forget she received a £17k golden goodbye when she resigned as deputy. Must’ve come in handy to pay her stamp duty!

I too quite like Red Ange
What you see is what you get
It is it enough to be a PM? 🤔

Whitewavemark2

This thread may well benefit from widening it a tad, by looking at other possible contenders.

Anyone know much about Al Carns apart from his army record?

He’s been suggested.

Wikipedia is pretty good (not being patronising, well worth a read). He has a very impressive backstory. Rory and Alastair rate him highly. A very good speaker from what I have seen. He has written an article for The New Statesman, though I am not a subscriber, the extracts I have seen look very sound.