Angela Rayner makes her second visit to a housing project in just four days

Release time：2024-04-20 10:01:06 Source：Planet Pulse news portal

Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner put on a show of unity today - as she visited a housing development for the second time in four days.

The Labour leader and his deputy lingered chatting together for the cameras as they toured the Nightingale Quarter in Derby.

Ms Rayner is facing intense scrutiny over her living arrangements nearly a decade ago, and which of two homes she was officially residing in. 

There are questions over capital gains tax on the sale of a former council house in Manchester almost a decade ago. 

She is also being investigated by police amid suggestions she may have broken electoral law by registering to vote at a house that was not her main home, and speculation over what council tax was due.

However, she has flatly denied any wrongdoing and insisted she welcomes the police involvement to prove her innocence.

Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner put on a show of unity today - as she visited a housing development for the second time in four days

The Labour leader and his deputy lingered chatting together for the cameras as they toured the Nightingale Quarter in Derby

Although the pair did not face media questions together, Sir Keir gave fulsome support to his deputy, whose brief includes housing

Despite the furore surrounding her own housing before she entered Parliament, Ms Rayner has not been shunning the public eye - or other people's houses.

She visited a development near Crawley on Tuesday alongside shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves.

And today she donned a hard hat and hi-vis jacket with Sir Keir at the project in Derby, as they launched a policy promising more affordable housing. 

Although the pair did not face media questions together, Sir Keir gave fulsome support to his deputy, whose brief includes housing.

'I have said I am absolutely pleased to be out with Angela today, and that is the focus that she has, that is the focus that I have had,' he said.

'We have both answered no end of questions.

'But we are actually out here, positive, on the front foot, putting our housing offer to people here in Derby, talking to residents about how they feel about what we are saying about housing, being well-received, that is really good.'

Ms Rayner visited a development near Crawley on Tuesday alongside shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves

However, Rishi Sunak lashed out at Sir Keir's 'weak' response in dodging reading the legal advice Ms Rayner has apparently received about her home designations.  

After delivering a speech in London, the PM said: 'The question is for Keir Starmer as to why he is refusing to himself read the advice that seems to exist, why it's not been published, and make a decision on this and I think that actually just displays a lack of leadership and weakness on his part.

'There clearly are questions to answer. That's clear for everyone to see. And he, you know, rather than hiding behind his team, just actually read the advice himself, publish the advice and clear this up.

'Obviously, I'm not going to comment on an ongoing police investigation. But that's what I said on Wednesday, and that's what I think the right thing to do is.'

Ms Rayner also joined London Mayor Sadiq Khan at his manifesto launch this week

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