Residents living close by the Deputy PM Angela Rayner’s flat said they were ‘shocked and appalled’ by the vandalism amid a row over stamp duty paid on the property
Angela Rayner’s new seaside apartment in Hove has been vandalised after it was targeted overnight.
The £800k seafront flat was sprayed with offensive graffiti branding her a “Tax Evader”. It is understood Ms Rayner was not in the flat at the time.
One message reads: “Tax Evader Rayner!” while another says: “Tax Evasion” on the wall outside her apartment. On hoardings facing her balcony window there are two sets of graffiti saying the same. Another daubing on the wall post simply read: “Bitch.”
Around 20 yards further down the street – outside a luxury apartment previously owned by Pink Floy’d Dave Gilmour – are two more messages.
The first, sprayed onto the pavement, reads: “Tax Evader Rayner” while a second said: “Rayner Sold British Girls 4 Votes” That particular message was sprayed off this morning after the new owner contacted a contractor to remove it.
Residents living close by said they were “shocked and appalled” by the wanton vandalism. One said: “It’s shocking. What a disgraceful thing to do. I simply can’t believe it. I hope the police catch them. I’m sure there’s CCTV nearby.”
Another said: “I woke up and went for a jog and saw it. It’s a right mess. I’m appalled to be honest. It raises many fresh questions about the safety of MPs again. I’ve seen Angela Rayner around and she said hello and was very pleasant. I’m so astonished really.”
It comes as Ms Rayner battles for her political future over the admission she underpaid tax on her £800,000 seaside flat.
In a bombshell interview on Wednesday, the Deputy PM said she had received incorrect legal advice, which meant she could have saved around £40,000 by paying a lower rate of stamp duty when she bought the property in Hove, East Sussex.
Ms Rayner, who is also the Housing Secretary, said she “deeply regrets” the error and appeared emotional when she said she had discussed resigning with her family.
But she has referred herself to the Prime Minister’s independent adviser on ministerial interests and vowed to repay any tax she owes to HMRC.
Earlier, Chancellor Rachel Reeves became the latest senior figure to rally behind Ms Rayner.
She told broadcasters: “Yes, I have full confidence in Angela Rayner. She’s a good friend and a 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 contact with HMRC to make sure that the correct tax is paid.
“Anyone that saw Angela’s statement yesterday, saw her interview yesterday, I think will have a lot of sympathy with some of the challenging family circumstances around this, around Angela’s disabled son, but of course, it is right that people pay their right amount of tax.”
She said the “definitive advice” on the Deputy Prime Minister’s stamp duty arrangements came in on Wednesday morning.