Come clean on taxes, Angela
ANGELA Rayner has made a number of passionate pledges on the importance of ethics and integrity in government.
In 2023 she vowed: “Holding any position in public life should mean upholding the highest standards.’’
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She promised to “put the right system in place to ensure accountability and transparency across government”.
Nobody could argue against that after years of Labour and Tory sleaze.
But the Deputy PM, who is also Britain’s housing supremo, has just splashed out more than £700,000 on her THIRD home.
And while whacking up the bills of everyone else she appears reluctant to shed any transparency on her own council tax affairs.
READ MORE ON ANGELA RAYNER
Under the sleazy policy of “flipping’’ primary and second homes it would be possible for Ms Rayner to save over £2,500 in tax on her grace and favour three bathrooms apartment at Admiralty House.
If she has “flipped” to reduce her bill while at the same time doubling the tax for the public it would be shameful double standards.
But when asked in writing by a Tory MP she did not come clean.
Is that what you call “ensuring accountability and transparency” Angela?
Meanwhile, as millions struggle to pay bills she has imposed, Three Pads Rayner won’t have to worry about her own housing needs any time soon.
And since her new property is only around an hour from Westminster why does she even need a grace and favour London home?
The Deputy PM should give it up now to help skint taxpayers struggling to keep one roof over their heads.
Give them a red card
IT IS vital that crooks who dodge jail should not escape tough punishment.
Too many thugs convicted of so-called minor offences are given no more than a rap on the knuckles because our prisons are overflowing.
A new Government crackdown to deprive them of everyday pleasures like going to football matches or down the pub is a good step in theory.
Offenders will be fitted with electronic tags that should also stop them from going to concerts or even taking a holiday.
But such punishments must work in practice, because too often we’ve seen these ideas abused by criminals cocking a snook at the law by slipping their tags or evading the system.
It must be watertight so yobs know that if they are going to commit crime they cannot carry on their lives as normal.
Because their victims certainly can’t.
