UK Politics

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailAngela Rayner is expected to claim that she did not have to pay capital gains tax when she sold her former house due to a kitchen renovation, as the row over her housing affairs rumbles on.The deputy Labour leader is likely to argue that enhancements she made to her former council house have offset the tax she would have paid had it not been her primary property, according to TheTimes.It comes as the police are investigating “tax matters and other issues” in connection with Ms Rayner’s housing affairs, including whether she broke electoral law, whether she paid the correct amount of capital gains tax when she sold her property, and what the council tax arrangements were at her former house. The shadow levelling-up secretary is expected to provide a raft of legal and financial documents – which could include utility bills, payslips and bank account details – as evidence to show that her own home was her primary residence.The probe into Ms Rayner’s tax affairs was launched after Conservative MP and deputy party chair James Daly complained after the Greater Manchester Police previously said it would not be investigating the allegations. Mr Daly said he had been made aware of neighbours contradicting Ms Rayner’s statement that her property, separate from her husband’s, was her main residence.James Daly (right) complained to the Greater Manchester Police about Ms Rayner’s former living arrangements More

Grant Shapps clashed with Sky News host Sky Burley as he was quizzed over the latest sleaze scandal to hit the Conservatives.Mark Menzies is the latest Tory MP to have his whip suspended.Mr Menzies is alleged to have used thousands of pounds given by donors to fund medical expenses and to have made a late-night call to a 78-year-old aide asking for help because he had been locked up by “bad people” demanding money for his release.Ms Burley asked Mr Shapps on Thursday (18 April): “Eight independent MPs, former Tories… what’s that saying about your party and the state of British politics?”Mr Shapps appeared to smirk and replied: “I thought I was on to talk about two wars.“Do you think it’s funny?”, Ms Burley asked. More

Liz Truss has called on foreign secretary David Cameron to give Israel more support following Iran’s attack.Iran launched a drone and missile attack on Israel last Saturday (14 April).The former prime minister said she is “concerned” the Foreign Office is “not wholly supportive of Israel”.Ms Truss appeared on ITV show Peston on Wednesday (17 April) when she was asked by the presenter: “Do you think that David Cameron, the current foreign secretary, is supportive enough of Israel?”Ms Truss replied: “I would like to see more support for Israel.” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailThe Conservatives have suspended MP Mark Menzies over allegations he misused campaign funds.The 52-year-old reportedly spent thousands of pounds given by donors on medical expenses and made a late-night call to a 78-year-old aide asking for help because he had been locked up by “bad people” demanding money for his release.The Fylde MP disputes the allegations reported by The Times, but the Conservative Party has launched an investigation into the claims.MP Mark Menzies has agreed to give up the Conservative whip while the party investigates claims he misused campaign funds (Richard Townshend/UK Parliament) More

Former prime minister Lizz Truss said she was “completely blindsided” by the UK’s pension market prior to her disastrous mini-budget.Ms Truss appeared on ITV’s Peston show on Wednesday (17 April), where she admitted she and Kwasi Kwarteng – who was chancellor under Ms Truss’s government – didn’t know the “extent of the vulnerability” of the pensions market prior to their mini-budget in September 2022.The mini-budget included £45bn of unfunded tax cuts and was followed by days of turmoil on the markets, a fall in the value of the pound and rises in the cost of UK government borrowing and mortgage rates.Ms Truss said: “I didn’t know about it and Kwasi didn’t know about it either. So we were completely blindsided.” More

Related video: MP who made Rayner complaint unable to explain what offence he thinks she committedSign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailThe House of Lords has snubbed fresh ministerial calls to back down in the tense stand-off over Rishi Sunak’s asylum plan – and insisted on a requirement that Rwanda cannot be treated as safe until promised protections are in place.Peers voted by 245 votes to 208, majority 37. The fresh setback for means the wrangling will continue, after MPs again rejected amendments to the government’s flagship Rwanda Bill, renewing their battle with the Lords.Peers had on Tuesday voted to amend the legislation for a third time, but MPs voted on Wednesday afternoon against four key amendments, including one to exempt asylum-seekers who aided UK troops overseas, such as Afghan special forces, from deportation to Rwanda.Downing Street ruled out making concessions on its Safety of Rwanda Bill.The government had been reportedly considering concessions, including exemptions for Afghans who assisted British forces, but the prime minister’s official spokesman ruled out any such move.Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer accused “billionaires” Rishi Sunak and Tory peer Lord Ashcroft of “smearing a working class woman”, his deputy, Angela Rayner.The pair have criticised Ms Rayner over the sale of her former council house, suggesting she may have failed to pay capital gains tax or given false information.Also at Prime Minister’s Questions, Rishi Sunak refused to rule out cuts to the NHS and state pensions to fund a £46bn national insurance giveaway.Show latest update 1713379100Lords keep deadlock going in snubbing calls to back downThe House of Lords has snubbed ministerial calls to back down – and insisted by 245 votes to 208, majority 37, on a requirement that Rwanda cannot be treated as safe until promised protections are in place.The fresh government setback means yet more wrangling at Westminster over the proposed law that aims to clear the way to send asylum-seekers who cross the Channel in small boats on a one-way flight to Kigali.Jane Dalton17 April 2024 19:381713405593Jeremy Hunt refuses to say ‘anything negative’ about Liz Truss More

Jeremy Hunt refused to say “anything negative” about Liz Truss as she “appointed him as chancellor.”When asked by Sky News if he thought the former prime minister, who has been critical of government policy, is currently being helpful for the Conservative Party, the cabinet minister would not cast aspersions on his colleague.”I think Liz will be the first to accept that during her time as prime minister, mistakes were made,” Mr Hunt said of Ms Truss’s 49 days in office, in which the pound hit a 37-year low against the dollar.”She appointed me as chancellor, so I don’t want to say anything negative about Liz Truss,” he added. More

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailA defiant House of Lords has refused to cave to ministers and sent Rishi Sunak’s flagship Rwanda plan back to the Commons – with two key demands. Peers voted on Wednesday night in favour of an amendment to the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill that would exempt Afghan heroes who supported UK troops overseas from being deported.They also insisted on a monitoring committee to assess whether Rwanda is safe before the government sends asylum seekers there. MPs have refused to make concessions to their plan to deport asylum seekers to the east African country, with Downing Street insisting the bill is “the right way forward”.But members of the Lords refused to back down, meaning that the bill will return to the Commons again – most likely on Monday. MPs are expected to vote down the changes again, forcing it back to the Lords. Rishi Sunak has promised to send asylum seekers to Rwanda this spring More