Head of Campaigns at the TaxPayers’ Alliance has hit out at Angela Rayner over her ongoing tax scandal, pointing out she is "in the Government that has made stamp duty so much worse".
Speaking to GB News, Elliot Keck admitted he has "no sympathy" for the Deputy Prime Minister on a political level following the series of revelations.
Following Ms Rayner's admission of wrongdoing in her tax affairs, her Hove property has been vandalised with graffiti.
The word "b***h" has been pictured on a white wall on the outside of the property, and across the road to the flat, messages including "tax evader Rayner" and "Rayner tax avoidance" have also appeared.
Elliot Keck has declared he has 'no sympathy' for Angela Rayner amid her tax affairs scandal
|GETTY / GB NEWS
Discussing the latest on the Deputy Prime Minister's controversy, Mr Keck told GB News: "On a personal level, I have a lot of sympathy with Angela Rayner, stamp duty is an absolutely bonkers tax. I don't think it's an exaggeration to call it an evil tax.
"It's a tax on moving home, it's a tax on the purchase of a home, but of course, Angela Rayner is in the Government that has made stamp duty so much worse."
He added: "She is in the Government that, for example, reduced the relief for first-time buyers and also increased the surcharge on the purchase of a second home, which is what she has been caught out by.
"So I don't have any sympathy for her in a political sense."
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'Tax evader' are among the messages that have been left at Angela Rayner's flat in Hove | PACasting doubt on the future of Ms Rayner in Government, Mr Keck admitted he has "invited" the Deputy Prime Minister to join the Taxpayers' Alliance.
Mr Keck quipped: "I do fear for her career and her job, so I figure she might have some spare time on her hands.
"And given her commitment to solving the housing crisis and also hopefully, her commitment to a fair and simple tax system, I think that joining the Taxpayers' Alliance would be an excellent way to advance those campaigns and advance those causes."
He stated: "Stamp duty is one of the biggest drivers of the housing crisis outside of the simple lack of supply, and that's something we've campaigned on for a long time. So we would absolutely welcome Angela Rayner joining us."
Mr Keck told GB News that it would be 'very difficult' for Angela Rayner to continue in Government
|GB NEWS
Pressed by GB News host Dawn Neesom on whether Angela Rayner's position as both Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary are "tenable", Mr Keck concluded: "I think it's very, very difficult for her to continue, no matter what happens.
"As you say, she is partly responsible. It's her Government that is responsible for the tax system, for it being so complicated.
"And of course, we have to look at what this Government has done in order to clamp down on tax avoidance. This Government has seen family farms and family businesses as acceptable collateral for reducing the level of tax avoidance in inheritance tax."
He added: "And given how cruel and punitive their policies have been on tax avoidance, I think it would be very difficult if the deputy PM, who has not just engaged in legal tax avoidance, but who is clearly engaged, even if unwittingly, in essentially tax evasion, I think it would be difficult to argue that she shouldn't also be collateral."