Former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has been cleared by HMRC of deliberate wrongdoing, carelessness, or tax avoidance regarding her tax affairs. Rayner settled 40,000 pounds in unpaid stamp duty after initially paying a lower rate, though she faced no penalties as a result of the investigation. Rayner stated that the investigation had clipped her wings.
The resolution of the tax matter paves the way for a potential leadership bid against Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Starmer is currently battling to save his job following disastrous local and regional polls last week.
While Rayner indicated she should be keen to play her part in the event of a leadership contest, she signaled she was not yet ready to say whether she would throw her hat into the ring if one is triggered. In an interview with ITV, she denied making any deals or pacts with Andy Burnham to challenge Starmer.
As the prospect of a leadership contest grows, Westminster is braced for Health Secretary Wes Streeting to potentially announce that he is also standing.