Tory MP who complained about Labour's Angela Rayner to police refuses to say what he thinks she's done wrong

17 April 2024, 11:19 | Updated: 17 April 2024, 22:12

The Conservative MP who contacted police about Angela Rayner amid a row over her historic living arrangements has refused to say what offence he thinks she committed.

James Daly was asked several times what he is alleging the deputy Labour leader has done, after Greater Manchester Police (GMP) opened an investigation over allegations she may have broken electoral law.

The deputy party chairman was unable to give a clear answer, saying he asked the force to investigate "certain matters...regarding certain things".

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The row is centred on what property was Ms Rayner's main residence 10 years ago, before she was an MP, and whether she paid the correct tax on the profit from the sale of her ex-council home in Stockport.

Ms Rayner has denied any wrongdoing.

Asked by Sky News what concerns he has raised with GMP, Mr Daly said the "broad framing" of the matters have been published in The Times and "the matters that are being investigated are with Greater Manchester Police".

Pressed on what he asked police, he said: "I asked them to investigate certain matters that were in the public domain regarding... certain things."

Asked if it was tax matters or electoral roll issues he said: "I think there were a number of matters."

He added: "I don't want to comment on a police investigation. The police are investigating these matters and I want to allow them to do that without me, as a politician, commenting on what they should do or what they shouldn't do."

What are police investigating?

On Friday, GMP said they were reopening an investigation into claims Ms Rayner may have falsely registered her address on the electoral roll.

The force initially said they would not be investigating, but reversed that decision after Mr Daly informed them of claims made by neighbours that allegedly contradicted her statement that her property on Vicarage Road, Stockport, was her main residence and not her husbands', which was a mile away.

Under electoral rules, voters must register at their permanent home address, and there are penalties for providing false information when registering to vote - though the window of prosecution is 12 months.

Which home was her main residence has also raised questions over whether Ms Rayner should have paid capital gains tax on the profits from the sale of her ex-council property.

Stephen Watson, the chief constable of GMP, told BBC Radio Manchester on Tuesday that "there are a number of assertions knocking about" and "we are going to get to the bottom of what has happened".

'Smear on a working class woman'

The Ashton-under-Lyne MP, who is on course to be deputy prime minister if Labour wins the next election, has vowed to resign if she is found to have committed a criminal offence, but said she is confident she's done nothing wrong and that she took legal and tax advice.

Read More:
What is Angela Rayner accused of?
Rayner pleads for family 'privacy'

Sir Keir Starmer has backed his second in command, but has said he does not need to see the legal advice.

Rishi Sunak attacked the Labour leader over this at PMQs, saying he should spend "more time reading the deputy leader's tax advice" than Liz Truss's new book, which has been subject to ridicule in Westminster.

Sir Keir hit back: "We've got a billionaire prime minister whose family used schemes to avoid millions of pounds of tax smearing a working class woman."

Sir Keir's jibe at Mr Sunak's wealth related to controversy surrounding his wife's previous non-dom tax status which allowed her to avoid paid tax on her international earnings. She gave up the status following backlash in 2022.

(c) Sky News 2024: Tory MP who complained about Labour's Angela Rayner to police refuses to say what he thinks she's done wrong