ANGELA Rayner's £800,000 seaside flat in the south of England has been vandalised after she admitted to not paying enough tax on it.
The flat in Hove was sprayed with graffiti branding her a “Tax Evader".
One message reads: “Tax Evader Rayner!” while another says: “Tax Evasion” on the wall outside the apartment.
It comes as the Deputy Prime Minister battles for her political future over the admission she underpaid stamp duty on the property.
Further down the street, there was reportedly a message on a pavement reading “Tax Evader Rayner” while a second said "Rayner Sold British Girls 4 Votes”.
Rayner saved around £40,000 in stamp duty when buying the £800,000 property telling the taxman it was her main home.
She said she “deeply regrets” the error, which she said occurred on the back of incorrect legal advice, and has referred herself to the Prime Minister's independent adviser on ministerial interests.
She has also vowed to repay any tax she owes to HMRC.
Speaking to Sky News, Rayner said: “I've been in shock, really, because I thought I'd done everything properly, and I relied on the advice that I received and I'm devastated because I've always upheld the rules and always have done.”
She also revealed she had considered resigning over the matter, adding: “I spoke to my family about it [quitting]. I spoke to my ex-husband, who has been an incredibly supportive person because he knows that all I've done is try and support my family and help them.”
Keir Starmer has condemned the vandalism at the flat "in the strongest possible terms".
A Downing Street spokesperson added: "Whatever scrutiny our parliamentarians may face, it is appalling that their private homes should be targeted in this way.”
Downing Street said Starmer retains “full confidence” in Angela Rayner but declined to commit to her staying in post for the rest of the Parliament.
The controversy centres around an arrangement she made for her home in Ashton-under-Lyme, Greater Manchester, following her divorce from former Labour MP Sam Tarry in 2023.
The Deputy PM said the "mistake" arose due to legal advice that didn't "properly take account" of her complex situation, which involved a trust set up for son with special educational needs.
The BBC is reporting Rayner consulted three people before buying the flat including one individual experienced in conveyancing and two experts on the law around trusts.
Asked whether she believes Rayner can stay in post, Reeves said: "She is a good friend and colleague, she has accepted the right stamp duty wasn't paid. That was an error, that was a mistake - she is working hard now to rectify that."
In 2020, an incident left Rayner's young son with life-long disabilities and a trust was set up for him. With the house adapted to meet his needs, Rayner says she and her ex-husband agreed their interest in the home would be transferred to this trust - of which her son is the sole beneficiary.
In 2023, some of the interest in the family home was transferred to the trust.
Following their divorce, Rayner says she and her ex-husband set up a "nesting arrangement" whereby the children would stay in the family home, in Ashton-under-Lyne, while she and her ex-husband alternated living there.
She says this property remains her family home as "it is where my children live and have gone to school and now college".
In January 2025, Rayner sold the remaining interest in the Ashton property to her son's trust. She says this "gives him the security of knowing the home is his".
In May 2025, Rayner says she bought a property in Hove, using the lump sum from selling her stake in the Ashton home. She says she received legal advice that she was liable to pay the standard rate of stamp duty on the Hove property.
