Angela Rayner’s purchase of a second home could be a “danger” for Labour and risks the party losing voters to Reform, a pollster has argued.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary’s property portfolio is under scrutiny after it emerged she purchased a £700,000 seaside apartment in Hove, East Sussex while her department has cracked down on second home owners.
Rayner has not broken any rules and has paid the correct amount of council tax, and Labour MPs and her allies have rallied to her defence.
The Conservatives have accused her of “hypocrisy”, however.
Chris Hopkins, political research director of Savanta, said: “While this story feels like something only those in Westminster will likely pay any attention to, it does provide a few dangers for Labour.
“First is that it could reinforce the idea that Labour are just as bad as all other parties. Following a summer of donations scandals last year after presenting a holier-than-thou elections campaign, something like this rearing its head is unlikely to help the party reverse its image.
“Secondly, the fact it’s about Rayner herself, the party’s most ‘normal’ asset, could have negative implications.
“If even Rayner is tarnished with the same brush as all politicians, Labour stands so little hope of differentiating itself from a public that continues to despise politicians, making insurgent parties such as Reform UK far less risky in the minds of voters.”
But a backbench Labour MP said: “I fail to see how any of this is important or relevant, to be honest.
“She’s following all the rules and paying the correct amount of tax. I’m not sure our message is that people shouldn’t buy second homes, just that those who do should pay back their fair share to the local community. She’s doing just that.
“The Tories are jumping on this, but I guarantee you a big chunk of that party has holiday homes and multiple properties.”
square BEN KENTISH The confected outrage over Angela Rayner's new property is nothing but snobbery
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Rayner’s Hove apartment is in addition to her £650,000 house in her Ashton-under-Lyne constituency, which she lists as her primary residence, and her grace-and-favour apartment in Admiralty House in London.
Her own Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government introduced powers from 1 April this year for councils to charge double council tax on people’s second homes.
Over the summer there were also reports that Rayner wants to charge households in more affluent areas up to £380 a year more in council tax in order to divert funds to less well-off communities.
Government sources said at the weekend that Rayner has met all of her legal responsibilities for council tax on the Hove and Ashton-under-Lyne homes, while the Cabinet Office administers it for Admiralty House.
It is also understood that the Prime Minister has confidence in Rayner.
Shadow housing secretary James Cleverly has called on the Deputy Prime Minister to declare in full all of her properties and where she pays council tax, while shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel claimed Rayner was being “hypocritical”.
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