‘Nothing to hide’: Rayner defends £700k Brighton pad

26 August 2025 , 14:36

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‘Nothing to hide’: Rayner defends £700k Brighton pad

Angela Rayner has admitted to a council tax controversy involving her three homes. The Deputy Prime Minister has recently purchased a seaside apartment near Brighton for over £700,000.

The Housing Secretary already owns her constituency home in Ashton-under-Lyne and has a grace-and-favour ministerial apartment at Admiralty House in central London. Ms Rayner had been facing ongoing questions from the Tories regarding which of her properties is her main residence for council tax purposes.

After initially declining to disclose which is her main residence, her office confirmed she pays full council tax on her Manchester property and the additional second-home premium on her new flat near Brighton.

They also mentioned that the council tax for her Admiralty House flat is managed by the Cabinet Office and Westminster Council, similarly to other ministers.

However, Tory Shadow Housing Secretary James Cleverly commented to The Sun: “This is the same Angela Rayner who lectures others on ethics and integrity."

“If she cannot be transparent about her own tax affairs while increasing taxes for everyone else, what credibility does she have left?”

Ms Rayner has faced accusations of hypocrisy for investing in a seaside flat while her department warns of the impacts of second homes.

Housing minister Matthew Pennycook has addressed Parliament about the "negative impacts of excessive concentrations of short-term lets and second homes," which impact "local services" and the "availability and affordability of homes for local residents to buy and rent."

Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice remarked: "Rayner is the pinnacle of hypocrisy. She decries a housing shortage, wishes to tax the wealthy heavily, while selfishly expanding her own property portfolio."

Tory MP Dame Priti Patel added: "One rule for this condescending hypocritical Labour minister, and a completely different set of rules for the hard-pressed taxpaying silent majority in Britain."

This follows Ms Rayner’s involvement in a dispute last year over her previous living arrangements and the sale of her former council house.

A Labour source stated: “Angela takes her council tax obligations seriously and fulfills them completely.”

Emma Davis