Rayner: This was not an attempt to dodge taxpublished at 11:44 British Summer Time 3 September
Rayner acknowledges that she did not pay the correct tax on the flat in Hove, East Sussex, but says it was not an attempt to “dodge tax”.
Explaining the situation, Rayner tells reporters that a home in her constituency (Ashton-under-Lyne) was put into a trust for her son following a divorce, and now says the financial and tax advice she got was incorrect.
Here’s what else she says:
“I relied on legal advice I received which said that I was liable to pay the standard stamp duty. Subsequent to that, with all the media reports, I took expert counsel on all of my affairs to ensure that everything was done proper, and that expert counsel said the advice I received was inaccurate because of the trust.
“I don’t own the property. I only own one property which is mortgaged… but because of the nature of the trust which was set up by the court that I would be liable to pay the additional stamp duty.
“As soon as I knew that was the case, I alerted and referred myself to the independent advisor on the ministerial code to ensure they can look transparently on what has happened and I also contacted HMRC to say there is tax owing on that and I am prepared to pay that.”
Asked specifically if she was “trying to dodge tax”, the housing secretary responds: “No, the trust was set up by a court to provide for my son after an injury.”
