There’s more controversy surrounding the property tax affairs of former housing secretary and Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner.

There are press reports suggesting that the party paid for a specialist tax lawyer to advise on her personal finances. 

Some reports name her adviser as barrister Jonathan Peacock KC. 

Rayner quit her housing and party posts last autumn after Sir Keir Starmer’s ethics adviser concluded she had breached the ministerial code when under-paying stamp duty on a property in Brighton. 

Before her resignation, Labour reportedly commissioned Peacock to review whether the £700,000 property had been correctly taxed.

The Times suggests the barrister may have spent up to five days examining Rayner’s financial position and providing legal advice. 

Rayner’s property controversy has surfaced recently in the frosty response letting agents gave to a decision by trade body Propertymark to invite her to address its annual conference this summer.

The architect of the Renters Rights Act is said to be receiving a five-figure fee for her speech.