Latest news with #AshtonUnderLyne
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Is Angela 'Two Homes' Rayner paying the council tax surcharge on her grace-and-favour second residence?
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner was last night facing questions over whether she is paying her own council tax surcharge on her second home. 'Two Homes' Rayner moved into her four-bedroom, grace-and-favour residence in Admiralty House in December – four months before her Local Government Department started levying an extra 100 per cent council tax charge on second homes. Official records of MPs' expenses show that when she entered the Government, Ms Rayner designated her Ashton-under-Lyne constituency home as her 'primary residence', and her pre-Admiralty home – a rented London flat – as her second home. That allowed her to claim back the £1,621 council tax bill on the London flat from the taxpayer as one of the housing costs reimbursed by Commons authorities. But if she is still designating Ashton as her primary residence now, the £2,034 council tax bill for Admiralty House doubles to a whopping £4,068 if classed as a second home. And, as a minister living in an official residence, she would have to pay both that and the £3,338 bill for the Ashton house herself – a total of £7,406. Ashton does not attract a second-home premium because she has family members living there permanently, but questions have been raised as to whether or not she is paying the full £7,406. Tory Shadow Minister Richard Holden asked the PM and the Chancellor if they were paying council tax on their Downing St flats as primary residences, and was informed that they were. If she is still designating Ashton as her primary residence now, the £2,034 council tax bill for Admiralty House (pictured) doubles to a whopping £4,068 if classed as a second home But on asking the same of Ms Rayner, he was stonewalled with: 'The Deputy Prime Minister's council tax responsibility is properly discharged.' In a letter to Ms Rayner, Kevin Hollinrake, Shadow Secretary for Housing and Communities, asked if she had evaded the surcharge by 'flipping' her primary residence designation. He said: 'If the minister in charge of council tax has dodged the super-tax by 'flipping', this raises serious concerns about the ethics and integrity of Labour ministers.' She became known as 'Two Homes' Rayner after this newspaper revealed she shuttled between two council properties early in her marriage. When her office was asked if she was paying a bill of £4,068 in London and £3,338 in her constituency, a source said: 'The administration of council tax for Admiralty House is for the Cabinet Office and Westminster Council, as has been the case for successive Secretaries of State.'
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Say the word never': Angela Rayner asked to rule out EVER running for Labour Party leader
Angela Rayner says she has 'no desire' to become Labour Party leader as she denied leaking a memo in a bid to challenge Keir Starmer. The Ashton-under-Lyne MP ruled out running for the Labour Party leadership telling Sky News that she is 'very happy and honoured' to be the Deputy Prime Minister. It comes after a secret memo she had written to Rachel Reeves was leaked to the Daily Telegraph. In the memo, which included 10 proposals, Ms Rayner pushed for a number of tax hikes to avoid the need for further spending cuts. READ MORE: The madness of Piccadilly Gardens READ MORE: Hundreds pay tribute as teenagers killed in Salford horror crash named and pictured Ms Rayner was asked on the Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips programme if she leaked the memo in an underhand leadership bid. On the show this morning (May 25), Mr Phillips asked: "There are cynics who say you may have leaked that memo yourself as a kind of mini manifesto for the kind of leadership you'd offer if the Labour Party's need arose. Would you like to knock that one on the head?" Ms Rayner responded: "Yeah, absolutely not. And I don't want to be leader of the Labour Party. I'm very happy and honoured to do the job that I'm doing." Mr Phillips then interrupted to ask: "What kind of politician are you? You don't want to be leader of your party?" Responding, Ms Rayner said: "No, I'm very happy and honoured to be Deputy Prime Minister of this country and I've got a lot in my in-tray to prove that I can do the job that I'm doing and deliver on the milestones for the people of this country. That's what I'm interested in, Trevor." Mr Phillips continued to press Ms Rayner, saying: "You know this is being recorded don't you? Because actually that means, one day, if you do, somebody's going to play it back to you." Ms Rayner replied: "Absolutely. I'd be happy for you to play it back to me. I have no desire to go for the leadership of the Labour Party. My desire is to deliver for the people of this country who have given me the opportunity beyond what I could have dreamed of." Before ending the interview, Mr Trevor told Ms Rayner: "Say the word never." To which she replied: "Never." Earlier in the interview, Ms Rayner said that an inquiry is 'under way' into how the memo was leaked. Asked by Sky News's Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips if a probe would be launched into how the memo was leaked, Ms Rayner said: 'I think there's one under way, and quite rightly so, because leaks are very damaging. 'It's really damaging, because we have lots of sensitive conversations in the round, all of us, and then we make a collective decision.' The Deputy PM would not be drawn into saying whether she wanted to see taxes raised, as the memo suggested was needed. She told Sky News: 'As a matter of principle, I will continue to have those conversations with our Government on how we can bring down the cost of living for working people, support children out of poverty, build the houses we said we're going to do and protect our borders and security.'
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Police close off busy Greater Manchester junction as motorcyclist rushed to hospital
A motorcyclist was rushed to hospital following a crash at a busy Tameside junction. Emergency services were called out to Hurst Cross, the junction of Kings Road and Queens Road, in Ashton-under-Lyne on Monday night (May 19). Greater Manchester Police says it received reports of a collision involving a car and a motorbike at 9.25pm. READ MORE: Bury murder LIVE: Street closed off after teenager killed - updates READ MORE: Murder probe launched after 19-year-old dies following incident on Greater Manchester street The male motorcyclist was taken to hospital for treatment after suffering head injuries. No other injuries or arrests have been reported. Officers had closed off the junction for a number of hours following the crash. Images from the scene show a cordon, with the junction taped off and multiple police officers in attendance. Witnesses reported seeing a large police presence, along with North West Ambulance Service, in the moments following the collision. The junction reopened to traffic early this morning (Tuesday). --- Day in day out, our reporters in the Manchester Evening News newsroom bring you remarkable stories from all aspects of Mancunian life. However, with the pace of life these days, the frenetic news agenda and social media algorithms, you might not be getting a chance to read it. That's why every week our Features and Perspectives editor Rob Williams brings you Unmissable, highlighting the best of what we do - bringing it to you directly from us. Make sure you don't miss out, and see what else we have to offer, by clicking here and signing up for MEN Daily News. And be sure to join our politics writer Jo Timan every Sunday for his essential commentary on what matters most to you in Greater Manchester each week in our newsletter Due North. You can also sign up for that here. You can also get all your favourite content from the Manchester Evening News on WhatsApp. Click here to see everything we offer, including everything from breaking news to Coronation Street. If you prefer reading our stories on your phone, consider downloading the Manchester Evening News app here, and our news desk will make sure every time an essential story breaks, you'll be the first to hear about it. And finally, if there is a story you think our journalists should be looking into, we want to hear from you. Email us on newsdesk@ or give us a ring on 0161 211 2920.
