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Angela Rayner has said she is the victim of a “non-story manufactured to try and smear”her over the sale of her council tax home.The Labour deputy leader was criticised for turning a £48,500 profit on the property in Stockport, Greater Manchester, which she bought in 2007 with a 25 per cent discount.Speaking in her first TV interview since claims emerged that she may have owed capital gains tax on the 2015 sale, Ms Rayner told BBC Newsnight: “I’ve been very clear there was no rules broken. They [the Conservatives] tried to manufacture a police investigation.” More

The youngest ever life peer has taken her seat in the House of Lords, which she wants to abolish.Plaid Cymru’s Carmen Smith, 28, will go by the title Baroness Smith of Llanfaes.She has succeeded as the youngest ever life peer Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge, who was made a life peer in July 2023 at the age of 30.The average age in the unelected chamber is 71.Wearing a a fake fur robe, rather than a traditional ermine one, she swore the oath of allegiance to King Charles III in both English and Welsh. More

The House of Commons erupted in laughter as Penny Mordaunt suggested that Labour’s claims about Jeremy Hunt’s ambition to abolish national insurance were fuelled by dreams “after eating a large amount of cheese.”Opposition MPs pressed the Commons Leader to explain if the “unfunded commitment of £46bn” would be paid for by tax rises for pensioners, cuts to the NHS, or an increase in Government debt.“I suspect the event the honourable gentleman might be recalling was actually a dream, perhaps after eating a large amount of cheese,” Ms Mordaunt said. More

A peer in the House of Lords has said he did not report his wife’s stolen credit card because the thief spent less than she did.With a deadpan delivery, Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate left the chamber unsure whether he was joking or not as he recalled the incident on Tuesday 19 March.The former police chief, a non-affiliated peer, said: “My wife, on one of her rare visits to London, had her credit card stolen.“And I monitored the use of the card and I have to say I didn’t report it to the police, because the thief was spending less than she was.”Peers across the Lords erupted into laughter at his comment. More

Vaughan Gething has been sworn in as the new first minister of Wales, making him the first Black leader of any European nation. In his address at the Senedd, the Welsh Labour leader said he takes this as a “matter of pride as well as a “daunting responsibility.”He described his vision for “a Wales that recognises we can celebrate our differences and take pride in all those things that draw us together and make us who we are.”Mr Gething was nominated for the role by his predecessor, Mark Drakeford, who formally resigned on Tuesday (19 March). More

Sir Keir Starmer told MPs “half of Rishi Sunak’s cabinet are lining up to replace him, amid growing reports of a Conservative leadership challenge.Sir Keir said it is no surprise the prime minister ruled out a spring general election while “half his cabinet are lining up to replace him”, during Prime Minister’s Questions today (20 March).Sir Keir added: “If they can’t bring themselves to stop the endless games and gimmicks, stop putting themselves before country, they should pack up, go home, and waste somebody else’s time.” More

Jonathan Gullis says the Conservatives will be “kicked out hard” if his fellow Tories even entertain the idea of a leadership contest.Mr Gullis said his colleagues should “shut up, and put up” before it gets worse for their party, during an interview with Sky News on Tuesday (19 March).Rishi Sunak has ruled out a May general election, but Jeremy Hunt hinted at an October election yesterday as he was questioned on the government’s spending plans. The Tories are facing dismal polling results, with some pollers claiming they would rather have Boris Johnson or Nigel Farage as a leader. More

Sir Keir Starmer told MPs he has prosecuted more people smugglers than the prime minister has had helicopter rides, adding “and that is a lot”.The heated exchange took place during a discussion on the deportation of dangerous criminals during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday (20 March).Mr Sunak told MPS: “If it was up to him [Starmer] those criminals would still be out on our streets, and the truth is, if he wasn’t the Labour leader he would still want to be their lawyer.”Sir Keir responded: “I’ve prosecuted more people smugglers than he’s had helicopter rides and that’s a lot.” More