Vandals have targeted Angela Rayner’s £800,000 seaside flat in Hove with graffiti calling the Deputy Prime Minister a “tax evader” and “b***h” following her admission that she underpaid stamp duty on the property.
Sir Keir Starmer condemned the vandalism in the “strongest possible terms” after images emerged showing offensive graffiti daubed on a white wall outside the luxury flat and on construction chipboard across the road.
The attack occurred overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning, just hours after Rayner referred herself to both the Government’s independent ethics adviser and HM Revenue and Customs over the £40,000 stamp duty underpayment.
Large spray-painted letters spelling “TAX EVADER!” dominated the white wall outside the East Sussex property, alongside the misogynistic slur, whilst messages reading “Tax evader Rayner” and “Rayner tax avoidance” appeared on boards opposite.
A Downing Street spokesman said: “The Prime Minister condemns this vandalism in the strongest possible terms. Whatever scrutiny our parliamentarians may face, it is appalling that their private homes should be targeted in this way.”
Rayner’s spokesperson called the vandalism “totally unjustifiable and beyond the pale”, adding: “Neither Angela nor her neighbours deserve to be subjected to harassment and intimidation. It will rightly be a matter for the police to take action as they deem appropriate.
Local residents in Hove were seen inspecting the graffiti throughout Thursday morning, with many expressing shock at the targeted attack on the residential property.
Sussex Police has been contacted for comment regarding potential investigations into the criminal damage.
The vandalism follows Wednesday’s dramatic admission by Rayner that she had received “inaccurate” legal advice when purchasing the Hove flat in May 2025, resulting in her paying £30,000 in stamp duty instead of the £70,000 required for second home purchases.
Sources close to the Deputy Prime Minister revealed she had received three separate pieces of legal advice before buying the property – from a conveyancer and two experts in trust law – all suggesting the standard stamp duty rate was correct.
The complex arrangements stemmed from a trust established in 2020 following what Rayner described as a “deeply personal and distressing incident” involving her son, who was born prematurely with life-long disabilities.
She had sold her 25 per cent stake in her Ashton-under-Lyne family home to the trust for £162,500, using the proceeds as a deposit for the Hove flat whilst taking out a £650,000 mortgage.
However, tax experts later advised that “complex deeming provisions” relating to the trust meant the new property could not be treated as her only residence, triggering the additional stamp duty liability.
Despite mounting pressure and calls for her resignation from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK’s Nigel Farage, Starmer stood firmly behind his deputy at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.
“I am very proud to sit alongside a deputy prime minister who is building 1.5 million homes, who is bringing the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights for a generation,” he declared.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves also expressed “full confidence” in Rayner, describing her as a “good friend and colleague” during broadcast interviews on Thursday morning.
The graffiti attack represents a significant escalation in the political row over Rayner’s property arrangements, raising concerns about the safety of MPs and their families.
Security experts have warned about increasing threats to politicians’ homes following several high-profile incidents, including attacks on MPs’ constituency offices and private residences.
The targeting of Rayner’s neighbours through the vandalism has particularly angered local residents, who have been drawn into a political scandal through no fault of their own.
“This affects the whole building and street, not just one flat,” one resident told local media. “It’s absolutely unacceptable regardless of your political views.”
The incident comes as Rayner faces an anxious wait for Sir Laurie Magnus, the Prime Minister’s independent adviser on ministerial standards, to complete his investigation into whether she breached the ministerial code.
Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake has accused Rayner of “hypocritical tax avoidance”, noting the irony of the Housing Secretary benefiting from stamp duty savings whilst overseeing housing policy and supporting higher property taxes.
HMRC has confirmed it is investigating the underpayment and could impose penalties of up to 30 per cent for “careless” inaccuracy, plus interest backdated at 8 per cent to the May completion date.
Political commentators suggest the vandalism could generate public sympathy for Rayner, potentially undermining legitimate scrutiny of her tax affairs by associating criticism with criminal behaviour.
The attack has united politicians across party lines in condemning the targeting of MPs’ private homes, with even Rayner’s critics emphasising that political disputes must never escalate to harassment or intimidation.
As the graffiti is removed and investigations continue, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the increasingly toxic nature of political discourse and the real-world consequences when rhetoric spills over into criminal action.
Follow for more updates on Britannia Daily
Image Credit:
Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner at Prime Minister’s Questions (7 February 2024) — photo by © UK Parliament / Maria Unger, CC BY 3.0
