Angela Rayner breaks social media silence after £40k stamp duty scandal

Under-fire Angela Rayner has taken to social media amid her property tax row. The Deputy Prime Minister shared a post on X after attending the mayoral council today.

She said: "The mayoral council today discussed the ways our mayors are delivering for their regions. This government is handing power back to where it belongs - to local people who know what really matters to their communities."

It comes as Ms Rayner, who is also the Housing Secretary, is facing an investigation into whether she broke the ministerial code after she admitted to underpaying stamp duty on a flat bought in Hove earlier this year.

She has been under mounting pressure in recent weeks after reports emerged she had saved £40,000 in stamp duty on a property purchase in Hove by not paying the higher rate reserved for additional home purchases.

She referred herself to independent adviser Sir Laurie and said she made a "mistake" in paying the standard rate, based on legal advice she received at the time.

Sir Keir Starmer earlier declined to say if he will sack her if the probe finds that she broke the rules.

The Prime Minister said "of course" he will act on the findings of his independent standards adviser.

But he would not be drawn on whether he would fire his deputy if Sir Laurie Magnus finds that a breach of ministerial rules took place.

In an interview with the BBC, he said: "There's a clear procedure. I strengthened that procedure. I am expecting a result pretty quickly.

"I do want it to be comprehensive... and then of course I will act on whatever the report is that's put in front of me."