Angela Rayner is embroiled in a fresh storm after it emerged her boyfriend works for a lobby group who have secured hundred of thousands of pounds of Labour funding.
The Deputy Prime Minister – who is already under fire for her expanding property portfolio which includes the recently purchased £800,000 seaside apartment – is facing more criticism for her links to lobbyists.
Her partner Sam Tarry has been revealed as part of a lobby group who were given almost £300,000 in exceptional funding by the current government.
Mr Tarry, who Ms Rayner has been in a relationship with for four years, works for consultancy group Henham Strategy.
The company, which has several dozen clients, states on its website that it has previously advised on ‘legislative strategy and bill amendments’ and works to ‘make the most persuasive case possible for Government’ as well as influencing ‘key decision-makers to deliver on their priorities’ across a range of areas.
Henham Strategy as also worked closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), which falls under the Deputy PM’s brief.
This includes Great South West, a group of councils and business partnerships in the South West of England, which was given £280,000 of exceptional funding last year.
In response to the revelation Tory Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake slammed Ms Rayner for her ‘hypocrisy’.
Angela Rayner is embroiled in a fresh storm after it emerged her boyfriend works for a lobby group who have secured hundred of thousands of pounds of Labour funding (pictured May 23)
Sam Tarry (pictured) has been revealed as part of a lobby group who were given almost £300,000 in exceptional funding by the current government
Mr Tarry and Ms Rayner have been in an on-and-off relationship for four years (pictured together)
He told The Sun: ‘This is the height of hypocrisy from Rayner.
‘She was all too happy to point the finger in Opposition but now in Government she’s turning a blind eye to her partner, and letting her apparent moral righteousness slide.’
The Ashton MP previously promised to end lobbying jobs related to ministerial offices but critics have slammed her decision to turn a blind eye to the activity of her partner.
Mr Tarry was the Shadow Transport Minister until July 2022 and an MP for Ilford South until 2024, before working for the lobbying group.
He is also friends with Nick King, the managing director of Henham Strategy and a former Tory aide, according to the publication.
The pair are both members of the parliamentary rugby team and have been snapped in team photos together.
Earlier this year, Ms Rayner even went along to one of the matches, posing with Mr King on the pitch.
Arm in arm and grinning, Mr King captioned the snap with a compliment to the Deputy PM.
Mr tarry is also friends with Nick King, the managing director of Henham Strategy and a former Tory aide and play together in the parliamentary rugby team (pictured together)
Earlier this year, Ms Rayner even went along to one of the matches, posing with Mr King on the pitch – he boasted of his close links to Ms Rayner’s department
He wrote that he and others at Henham were lucky to be working so closely with Ms Rayner and boasted of the ‘great set of clients in local government, housing and planning, energy and infrastructure and beyond’.
Ms Rayner is now facing accusations that she was not wholly transparent about the work her boyfriend undertook while working at Henham Strategy which could have resulted in a conflict of interest.
The firm is on the national register of consultant lobbyists.
One of the company’s clients was Great South West which paid the firm £45,000 last year.
Despite a decision to scrap funding for the pan-regional partnerships, an exception for GSW and it was awarded a one-off grant of £281,250 for this year.
The company confirmed to The Sun that Mr Tarry is an adviser to them.
The Daily Mail has contacted The Deputy Prime Minister and Henham Strategy for comment.
Ms Rayner’s stance on lobbying links to ministers was made clear in a 2021 speech where she said: ‘Labour will ban former Ministers from lobbying for at least five years after they leave office.
The latest scandal comes after it was revealed she had bought a third home – an £800,000 seaside apartment in Hove (pictured)
She also owns the £650,000 house in her constituency of Ashton-Under-Lyne (pictured)
‘No ifs, no buts. No letters after a role has already been accepted and no exceptions. A total ban. And consequences – including financial sanctions – if the rules are broken.’
Mr Tarry was never held a position in the cabinet but was an MP and the Shadow Minister for buses and local transport.
This is the latest development in a string of scandals surrounding the politician.
Last night the Mail revealed the embattled Deputy Prime Minister split the ownership of her £650,000 constituency home with a trust administered by blue-chip law firm Shoosmiths.
At the time of the deal, in 2023, the company boasted that it had a dedicated ‘wealth protection team’ to help its private clients.
The legal manoeuvre would be consistent with Ms Rayner placing some of the house’s equity in trust for her three children, one of whom has special needs – although the Deputy PM’s office repeatedly declined to comment.
Yesterday, the Tories demanded to know whether the arrangement with the Shoosmiths Trust Corporation offered any inheritance tax advantages for Ms Rayner’s family – a political point heightened by the fact Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly considering raising inheritance tax in her autumn Budget as part of a wider range of ‘wealth taxes’.
Conservatives have already called for an inquiry into claims Ms Rayner avoided £40,000 in stamp duty by telling the taxman that her new £800,000 property in Hove was her main home, having told the Cabinet Office that her primary residence was the constituency home in Ashton-under-Lyne.
Her expanded property portfolio now includes the £800,000 seaside apartment, the £650,000 house she owns in her constituency and a three-bedroom grace-and-favour flat in Admiralty House, Whitehall.
