Angela Rayner's tax affairs

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/jeremy-hunt-avoids-100000-stamp-12415305.amp

Well, there were those flats.

And Nadhim Zahawi definitely had a beef with HMRC, so should he have been asked to show all of that? It has to be equitable - yes?

They investigated Jeremy Hunt

HMRC?

Are you sure - when was this?

They investigated Jeremy Hunt, who was also cleared. So should he have been asked to show the documentation proving this? Unless we start treating all politicians under tax investigation in exactly the same way, accusations of hypocrisy and and will (rightfully) be levelled. So do you as a matter of principle support bringing in a process that will subject all politicians in thie situation to exactly the same scrutiny?

Obviously.

Rayner is no longer under investigation.

Out of interest, are HMRC currently investigating any other politicians?

So do you agree that every politician who has their tax affairs investigated must disclose all the documents?

Her constituents need to vote for her and they’re probably much more interested in her being a good constituency MP.

“If the general public want to believe conspiracy bollocks, that says more about them than about AR.”

Except, she is a politician and needs “the public” to vote for her.

For months there was daily coverage on Rayner's tax affairs, perceptions were created then

As for Tice and Farage, hardly news.

Are you this exercised about Farage @Ihateboris ?

If the general public want to believe conspiracy bollocks, that says more about them than about AR.

DN is implying "favouritism" at HMRC, he needs to produce evidence for this

Perhaps not - if the perception is that HMRC has been overly lenient with Angela Rayner then that's what the general public will believe in any case. HMRC is one of those institutions that many people have had a negative experience with.

If we're going to demand that AR disclose all her tax affairs, we must demand the same of every politician who has had their tax affairs investigated. If we don't, that's hypocrisy. Agreed?

Why would she have to release her documents when HMRC have closed the case?

Why should she make her personal tax affairs public? If she’s off the hook with HMRC that’s good enough for me.

*haven’t!

Maybe you are baffled. Dan Neidle certainly is too. Why won’t Rayner actually release the documents if it’s all so clear cut? So we can see what she actually was advised to do at the time.

btw I have read Allison Pearson and don’t intend to start now, either. You don’t need to be a rabid DM reader to find this all a bit suspect.

What's baffling is people's inability to understand the words 'cleared' and 'exonerated'. It's highly likely that OP has been treated badly by HMRC. That doesn't mean AR has had special treatment or that HMRC play favourites. Coupled with the endless AR slating (see also the thread about the smear piece written by Allison Pearson), this suggests that there is an agenda that has absolutely nothing to do with who has or has not paid what.

As you say she resigned.... the 'code is quite specific, though not all recent PMs have accepted such out comes....

HMRC accept her explanation and have treated it as a mistake and not carelessness.
I don't think you quite grasp that HMRC do not expect an individual to be a tax expert nor do they insist a lay person seek advice from several sources.

LM's report is not evidence, HMRC do not look at the ministerial code when deciding these matters.

DN is implying "favouritism" at HMRC, he needs to produce evidence for this, perhaps he has internal HMRC emails......

There’s tax avoidance and tax avoidance. Avoidance where you put money into your isa is fine. That’s acting within the spirit of the law. Avoiding tax in the way Tice did is very much not getting the spirit of the law. Was there any economic reason for arranging his tax affairs as he did other than tax avoidance? I doubt it, and this is the sort of thing HMRC will take into consideration when they decide whether an offence has been undertaken.

From Angela Rayner's resignation letter to Keir Starmer;

I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice given both my position as Housing Secretary and my complex family arrangements. I take full responsibility for this error.

Ummmm you re on the 'right and you're quick enough to dive in... against Rayner.....

I quite like Wes Streeting if that helps.

i note you don't have anything to say about Farage and his financial shenanigans

The title of this thread is 'Angela Rayner's tax affairs'.

On the possibility that Farage bought his long-term girlfriend a house - that's not at all unusual in my experience, as long as the house is a gift. This is what wealthy men in subsequent relationships often do - therefore from a tax perspective he probably hasn't done anything wrong. I am closely associated with two men who bought their long-term partners houses of similar value - intending to leave the bulk of their estate to their adult children from previous relationships (no children with their new/current partner as in Farage's case - who I believe has four adult children).

I suspect Dan Neidle doesn't have any time for Rayner

Yesterday you mentioned Nadhim Zahawi - it was Neidle's investigation which exposed Zahawi's underpayment of tax.

he asks for documentation but provides none of his own for his allegations

He has Sir Laurie Magnus' report - Magnus concluded that Rayner had breached the ministerial code.

Are you suggesting that the HMRC are corrupt?