The Rayner Reboot: Tax Troubles and Labour's Leadership Vacuum The news that Angela Rayner has been cleared by HMRC over her tax affairs is a significant development in the ongoing saga of Labour's leadership vacuum.
While it may have seemed like a minor blip on the radar for some, this episode speaks to deeper issues within the party ones that are not just about personalities or individual actions, but also about the disconnect between Labour and its voters.
The HMRC investigation into Rayner's tax affairs has been ongoing since last September. Initially, she paid the lower rate of stamp duty on a Hove flat, only to have it revised upwards by HMRC.