Sir Keir Starmer has said that he is "satisfied" that his deputy Angela Rayner has not broken electoral law or evaded capital gains tax over her 'second' home - but has not "felt the need" to see the legal or tax advice that clears her.
Greater Manchester police are said to be reassessing claims that Rayner broke electoral law after allegations emerged that she was liable to pay capital gains tax on the sale of her home in Manchester nine years ago.
Rayner sold her home in Stockport, which she bought through the right-to-buy scheme just before she became a MP in 2015.
Rayner registered the former council house in Stockport as her main address on the electoral register, meaning she was not liable to pay capital gains tax on the £48,000 profit.
The Deputy Labour leader has said that her husband already owned his own home independently and she had an older child from a previous relationship.
The police had initially said that the Labour MP would not face an investigation over claims she gave false information about her primary address on the electoral roll in a statement earlier this month.
Sir Keir Starmer defended Angela Rayner amid accusations she broke electoral law
GB NEWS/PA
Speaking to GB News in Dudley, Starmer said: "Angela has answered all questions. She's been very clear. She will talk to any of the authorities that want more information. She's taken legal advice.”
Starmer – a top KC and former Director of Public Prosecutions - insisted that he had not seen the advice which clears her of wrongdoing.
He told GB News: "My team have seen it. I have never felt the need, nor do I think it's appropriate for me personally to see it. I'm satisfied with the answers that she's given repeatedly now on this."
Asked by GB News how he knew she was cleared by the advice if he had not seen it, Starmer replied: "I don't need to. It's not appropriate for me to see that legal advice."
Greater Manchester police are said to be reassessing claims that Angela Rayner broke electoral law
PAAsked if Rayner should she resign if the police investigate, he replied: "I'm not going to get into hypotheticals. We've been down this road many, many times before. The police have made their decision they need to now get on with the decision and the process that they're going through."
In a statement on social media, Rayner said: "I bought my council house back in 2007. I owned my own home, lived there, paid the bills there and was registered to vote there, prior to selling the house in 2015. All before I was an MP.
"I've never been a ‘landlady’, owned a property portfolio or been a non-dom. As with the majority of ordinary people who sell their own homes, I was not liable for capital gains tax because it was my home and the only one I owned.
"My husband already owned his own home independently and I had an older child from a previous relationship.
"Our son was born just 23 weeks into my pregnancy and spent eight months in intensive care. He is legally blind. We mutually decided to maintain our existing residences to reflect our circumstances.
"Every family is different but it worked for us and we brought up our boys in a caring environment, surrounded by love.
"A wide network of friends and family were also there to support us, including my brother. He’d served in Iraq and was a dab hand at DIY."