Following revelations that Angela Rayner used her expenses to buy top-of-the-range luxury AirPods, one taxpaying reader reported the Labour deputy leader to IPSA, rightly believing she had misused taxpayer’s cash. Guido can reveal the independent body has now carried out an extremely half-hearted investigation and found no problems with her cash splashing. Despite Rayner providing some of the weakest excuses imaginable.

On the AirPods, Rayner claims they were purchased for a member of staff who requested noise-cancelling wireless earphones compatible with an iPad, and that:

“most other earphones are not compatible and unfortunately cheaper brands that are available are not as efficient and do not work out cost effective, as these brands do not last as long and often break easily.”

It’s difficult to know where to begin; the idea that most other headphones aren’t compatible with iPads is demonstrably untrue, for starters the cheaper £150 AirPods that Hancock expensed are an Apple product. The claim most other brands break easily because they’re cheaper is also untrue. In particular, Guido doesn’t see the logic in Rayner citing lockdown as the reason to ensure staff “were provided with any additional equipment necessary for homeworking”, immediately after claiming her chief of staff required a noise-cancelling function to fulfil their duties whilst travelling. Something you’re obviously not doing during lockdown.

The complainant also asked about the expensing of a £70 velvet chair. Rayner claims this again was for a staffer, and it was chosen “to suit their particular needs and comfort”. Presumably their ‘need’ was to nicely decorate their home rather than get work done…

You can tell Rayner’s a grandmother – she’s a right pushover when you ask for treats…

Read the IPSA report in full: