A Labour MP expressed his "surprise" that Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch failed to pursue the property tax issue surrounding Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner more aggressively at today's Prime Minister's Questions.
Following the session in the Commons, James Frith told GB News that Sir Keir Starmer would have also "expected her to zone in more" on the revelations.
Ms Badenoch opened Prime Minister's Questions by welcoming Angela Rayner's decision to refer herself to the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards after admitting an error with her tax affairs.
She then asked "why is she still in office?" to which the Prime Minister replied: "I know from speaking at length to the Deputy Prime Minister just how difficult that decision was for her and her family.
Labour MP James Frith admitted he was 'surprised' that Kemi Badenoch didn't 'zone in' on Angela Rayner more during PMQs
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"But she did it to ensure that all information is in the public domain, she has now referred herself to the independent adviser, that is the right thing to do."
Reacting to the collision between the Labour and Tory leaders, Mr Frith told GB News: "I think Keir, the Prime Minister, performed very well.
"I think he probably would have expected Kemi Badenoch to zone in more. I think, notwithstanding the short notice, I'm surprised she didn't lean into that more."
Defending the Deputy Prime Minister, the Labour MP highlighted the "difficult family issue" Ms Rayner is currently facing amid the controversy.
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| POOLMr Frith explained: "My concern goes with Angela, actually, in what is a really difficult family issue for her.
"Not only has she disclosed some very private and frankly confidential information about her own children, the complication then also of being in a post-divorce arrangement with her ex-husband and the care of their children, which they continue to share.
"She has orchestrated that. She has made clear the difficulties. She has taken in good faith and any of us that have taken legal counsel before, you do take legal counsel in good faith.
"It's been considered now inaccurate, and she's disclosed that, and she'll make amends in due course, if required to. On a human level, it is a very difficult moment for Angela."
Shadow Science Secretary Julia Lopez offered a sharp rebuttal to Frith's sympathetic stance, highlighting what she viewed as Rayner's lack of empathy towards others in the past.
Ms Lopez argued: "The challenge with her is that she's never shown any human compassion and consideration when she's been attacking people from her position in opposition.
"The challenge the public have with a lot of this is the sheer brass neck and hypocrisy of Labour over so many of these issues."
Mr Frith told GB News that it is a 'very difficult moment' for Angela Rayner
|GB NEWS
Defending Ms Rayner further, the Labour MP assured: "It requires explanation, for sure, and from the reports I've read, we were all left with the short notice to gen up on the issue, but the report that I've read made pretty clear the chronology of this. The sequence at which it has happened demonstrates no intent of tax evasion.
"She's been crystal clear. She's referred herself to the Ethics [Commissioner], the PM has come out and said she's gone over and above."
He concluded: "She will, in due course, face that scrutiny and accountability, and she's done an interview with a competing broadcaster making very clear her account of events
"In due course that scrutiny will conclude, having referred herself to the Ethics Commissioner."
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