A prominent tax expert has questioned HMRC’s decision to exonerate Angela Rayner over her tax affairs. Serious questions for the taxman…
Dan Neidle of Tax Policy Associates – who was until recently a member of the NCC, the Labour Party’s most senior disciplinary body – says HMRC’s decision that Rayner did not act in a “careless” way by failing to pay £40,000 extra of Stamp Duty is “hard to understand.”
Neidle has consulted with “other senior lawyers, including a retired judge.” He argues:
Neidle said: “HMRC’s contrary conclusion will be welcomed by Ms Rayner, but it raises a question of consistency: ordinary taxpayers who ignore explicit advice to consult a specialist routinely receive careless penalties.” This raises grave questions for the tax body…
Co-conspirators may remember that last time Rayner’s tax arrangements were in question over the sale of her house, the story was brought to a close by a single Guardian article saying Rayner had been cleared. With no additional context or information…
As Guido uncovered HMRC’s Stamp Duty investigations take 35 months on average. Rayner has been handed an exoneration in only eight months. Is the taxman giving the ex-DPM a light touch?
Paula Barker, Liverpool Wavertree MP backing Andy Burnham, told Times Radio there wouldn’t be trouble from the markets under Burnham:
“The markets will have to fall in line.”