'Smearing A Working Class Woman': Starmer Condemns 'Billionaire' Sunak Over Angela Rayner Attack
Keir Starmer: Liz Truss said the Kamikaze budget was the happiest moment of her premiership... has the PM met anybody with a mortgage who agrees.
— Haggis_UK ???????? ???????? (@Haggis_UK) April 17, 2024
Rishi Sunak: Angela Rayner
KS: both have used schemes to avoid millions of £s of tax... smearing a working class women#PMQspic.twitter.com/zLZbYEjgiD
Keir Starmer has accused “billionaire” Rishi Sunak of “smearing” Angela Rayner as the row over the Labour deputy leader’s tax affairs continues.
The pair clashed after Starmer mocked Liz Truss over her new book, Ten Years To Save The West.
The Labour leader said: “It’s quite the read. She claims the Tory Party’s disastrous kamikaze Budget that triggered chaos for millions was, in her words, ‘the happiest moment of my premiership’.
“Has the prime minister met anyone with a mortgage who agrees.”
Sunak replied: “All I’d say is he ought to spend a bit less time reading that book and a bit more time reading the deputy leader’s tax advice.”
Rayner has been at the centre of controversy over the sale of the former council house she bought before becoming an MP.
She has been accused of not paying capital gains tax and of breaking electoral law - claims she denies.
In response to the PM’s jibe, Starmer said: “We’ve got a billionaire prime minister whose family used schemes to avoid millions of pounds of tax smearing a working class woman.”
Rayner has vowed to quit as Labour deputy leader if police find that she has broken the law.
In a statement last week, she said: “I’ve repeatedly said I would welcome the chance to sit down with the appropriate authorities, including the police and HMRC, to set out the facts and draw a line under this matter. I am completely confident I’ve followed the rules at all times.”