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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

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

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

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailThe Tory MP who reported Angela Rayner to the police over the sale of her former council house got embroiled in a furious row with another member of parliament on live TV after again refusing to say what offences he thought Labour’s deputy leader had committed.James Daly, the Conservative Party deputy chairman, accused Chris Bryant of “shouting” over him and previously making “all sorts of public allegations” in a testy exchange between the pair on Sky News following Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.The row came after it emerged that the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) investigation into Ms Rayner had been extended to consider whether she avoided paying the right amount of tax on the sale of her former property in Stockport before she became an MP – in addition to whether she had correctly registered at the right address.“Shout a bit louder so none of us can hear,” Mr Daly said after being interrupted by Mr Bryant, who had asked him what he thought Ms Rayner had done wrong. “Unlike Chris, who shouts and makes all sorts of public allegations, what I want to do is – an allegation has been made to the police, the police are investigating that allegation – let’s give them the time and opportunity to do that”.James Daly and Chris Bryant 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 emailDowning Street has ruled out making concessions on its Safety of Rwanda Bill as more parliamentary ping pong looms.Peers on Tuesday voted to amend the legislation for a third time, further prolonging parliamentary wrangling over the law intended to clear the way for asylum-seekers who cross the Channel in small boats to be deported to Rwanda.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.Earlier it was reported that the police probe was looking at several allegations including tax relating to the sale.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 1713365455MPs reject bid to ensure Rwanda Bill follows human-rights lawsMPs have voted by 306 to 240, a majority of 66, to reject a Lords amendment that sought to ensure the Safety of Rwanda Bill had “due regard” for international and key domestic laws, including human rights and modern slavery legislation.Jane Dalton17 April 2024 15:501713365154No 10 refuses to consider more Rwanda Bill concessionsDowning Street has ruled out making concessions on its Safety of Rwanda Bill as MPs and peers prepare for another round of parliamentary ping pong.Peers have voted for a third time to amend the legislation that will allow asylum-seekers crossing the Channel in small boats to be deported to Rwanda.The government had been reported to be considering making some concessions to ensure the Bill’s passage, including on exemptions for Afghan nationals who assisted British forces.But the Prime Minister’s official spokesman ruled out any such move, telling reporters: “We are not considering concessions. We believe the Bill as it stands is the right Bill and the quickest way to get flights off the ground.”MPs are therefore likely to reject the Lords’ amendments once again, before sending the legislation back to the Upper House later on Wednesday.It will then be up to peers to decide whether to press their changes further, with Labour saying it would back two amendments proposed by the Lords.A party spokesman said Labour would “continue to take the position that we have so far”, including by supporting proposals to exempt Afghans who helped UK troops.There is potential for further debate on the Bill until late on Wednesday night as the legislation passes between Parliament’s two houses if agreement is not reached.Jane Dalton17 April 2024 15:451713364941Watch: Tory minister says she will not be reading Liz Truss’s new bookTory minister says she will not be reading Liz Truss’s new bookJane Dalton17 April 2024 15:421713357014Ex-Tory minister slams ‘hypocritical’ focus on Angela Rayner’s tax affairs as police probe multiple claimsNick Boles, who was an MP for nine years, slammed the scrutiny over the sale of Ms Rayner’s former council home and whether she avoided paying the right tax or had correctly registered at the right address.Full report: Matt Mathers17 April 2024 13:301713355655‘Shout a bit louder so none of us can hear’: MPs in row over Rayner house sale live on airTwo MPs became embroiled in a row over the investigation into Angela Rayner and the sale of her former home live on air after PMQs.James Daly, the Conservative Party deputy chairman, was asked by senior Labour MP Chris Bryant what offences he thought Ms Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, had committed.Greater Manchester Police launched an investigation after Mr Daly contacted them with concerns about how the force had initially responded after it emerged that Ms Rayner had not paid capital gains tax on the sale of the property.When asked by the Labour MP what he thought Ms Rayner had done, Mr Daly said “the matter is with Greater Manchester Police – they’ve confirmed” before being interrupted by Mr Bryant.“Shout a bit louder so none of us can hear,” Mr Daly then told Mr Bryant. “Unlike Chris, who shouts and makes all sorts of public allegations, what I want to do is – an allegation has been made to the police, the police are investigating that allegation – lets give them the time and opportunity to do that”.It is the second time this week Mr Daly has refused to say what offences he thought Ms Rayner had committed. Read more below: Matt Mathers17 April 2024 13:071713355231Watch: Sunak takes aim at Rayner’s ‘tax affairs’ during fiery exchange over Liz Truss’s book at PMQs More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailA former Tory minister has joined high profile figures to come out in defence of deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner as police investigating claims about her former living arrangements say they are considering multiple allegations.Nick Boles, who was an MP for nine years, slammed the scrutiny over the sale of Ms Rayner’s former council home and whether she avoided paying the right tax or had correctly registered at the right address.“The Conservative attack on Angela Rayner is one of the most grotesque spectacles of hypocrisy I have ever witnessed,” he said while former Conservative MP Matthew Parris condemned what he called “the hounding” of the Labour MP, dubbing it “outrageous: brutal, snobbish and completely out of proportion to any mistake she may (or may not) have made”.Former chief prosecutor Nazir Afzal also said that “based on whats in the public domain”, the crown prosecutor would take no action against Ms Rayner. Their comments come as Greater Manchester police chief Stephen Watson suggested there were multiple allegations which may extend beyond her housing arrangements.The GMP had previously announced they were investigating the Labour deputy leader over the sale of her council house in Stockport and whether she broke electoral law by giving false information of her address during the 2010s.During an appearance on BBC Radio Manchester, Mr Watson said: “All I would say in line with what we’ve put out publicly is there are a number of assertions knocking about, I don’t need to tell people that.Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Stephen Watson made the remarks on BBC Radio Manchester (James Speakman/PA) More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailWatch as Rishi Sunak faces Sir Keir Starmer in Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday 17 April.The House of Commons returned from Easter recess this week, with the government’s flagship Rwanda policy, smoking ban and Iran’s attack on Israel high on the agenda.Mr Sunak’s proposal to ban young people from ever being able to legally smoke tobacco cleared its first Commons hurdle yesterday, despite a swathe of Conservatives objecting to it in a blow to his authority.MPs voted 383 to 67, majority 316, to give the Tobacco and Vapes Bill a second reading.Meanwhile, ministers are confident deportation flights to Rwanda will take off this spring, despite the legislation underpinning the plan remaining in parliamentary deadlock.Treasury minister Laura Trott said there were “many definitions of spring” when pressed about a timeline for getting planes off the runway.The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill returns to the Commons on Wednesday, after the House of Lords again pressed demands for revisions, prolonging the parliamentary wrangling.MPs are likely to reject these changes, meaning the legislation will be sent back to the Lords again.The legislation seeks to clear the way to send asylum seekers who cross the Channel in small boats on a one-way flight to Kigali, but it will only receive royal assent and become law once agreement between parliament’s two houses is reached. More