At least ’a dozen officers’ involved in Labour Deputy Leader Angela Rayner police probe
Greater Manchester Police’s investigation into Labour’s Angela Rayner reportedly involves at least a dozen officers and is not limited to potential electoral law offences
A police investigation into Labour’s Deputy Leader Angela Rayner is reportedly looking at multiple allegations amid a row over the sale of a house almost a decade ago.
Greater Manchester Police’s investigation - involving at least a dozen officers - is not limited to potential electoral law offences and may involve tax matters, according to The Times.
It comes after the force announced last week it was looking into whether any offences were committed by Ms Rayner - one of Labour’s most senior figures. Ms Rayner has announced she would quit if police conclude she had committed a criminal offence and has insisted she followed the rules "at all times".
GMP had previously said Ms Rayner would not face an investigation into accusations she broke electoral law by giving false information about her main residence. But the row spiralled from claims made by her former neighbours in an unauthorised biography by the billionaire former Tory peer Lord Ashcroft.
She was accused of falsely claiming that she was living at an ex-council house she owned in Stockport when she was living at her husband Mark Rayner’s house a mile down the road. Critics said she may have broken electoral law as she should not have been registered on the electoral roll if she did not live there.
Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester on Tuesday GMP Chief Constable Stephen Watson said there were a "number of assertions knocking about". He said: "We, on an initial assessment, made a determination that it was unlikely that we would pursue an investigation on the provision of further investigation or further information.
“We have reassessed that decision, and we have announced that we will launch a formal investigation. That is a neutral act – it does not imply that the information gives us any hard and fast evidence upon which to base anything at this stage.
“It is simply we have an allegation. These allegations are of course all over the news. We are going to get to the bottom of what has happened." He declined to give a timeframe for the probe, saying: "We just need to get to the bottom of the facts and then we’ll work out where we go with it."
But in a defiant statement Labour’s Deputy Leader said she had followed all the rules and accused the Tories of attempting to smear her. She said: "I’ve repeatedly said I would welcome the chance to sit down with the appropriate authorities, including the police and HMRC, to set out the facts and draw a line under this matter. I am completely confident I’ve followed the rules at all times."
Ms Rayner said she made no apology for holding the Tories to account over their tax affairs and said it was vital the matter was looked at without political interference.
She went on: "We have seen the Tory Party use this playbook before - reporting political opponents to the police during election campaigns to distract from their record. I will say as I did before - if I committed a criminal offence, I would of course do the right thing and step down. The British public deserves politicians who know the rules apply to them.
"The questions raised relate to a time before I was an MP and I have set out my family’s circumstances and taken expert tax and legal advice. I look forward to setting out the facts with the relevant authorities at the earliest opportunity." Greater Manchester Police declined to comment when approached by The Mirror while the investigation is ongoing.
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