Is Angela Rayner a "hypocrite" if she doesn't resign?

Is Angela Rayner a "hypocrite" if she doesn't resign?

Author: Sky News September 5, 2025 Duration: 38:30
Was the deputy prime minister trying to evade and dodge tax? Is she a 'hypocrite'? Or was she simply doing what she thought was the right thing? 
 
Beth takes Ruth and Harriet behind the scenes of her interview with Angela Rayner this week as they ask whether she will survive in government, or if she will have to resign. 
 
It all emerged after Rayner admitted she didn't pay enough tax on her home in Hove - you can catch the exclusive 20-minute interview in the Electoral Dysfunction feed. 
 
After recording, Verrico & Associates confirmed that it had advised Ms Rayner on the purchase of the flat. Joanna Verrico, the managing director, told The Telegraph: "We acted for Ms Rayner when she purchased the flat in Hove. We did not and never have given tax or trust advice. It's something we always refer our clients to an accountant or tax expert for. 

"The stamp duty for the Hove flat was calculated using HMRC's own online calculator, based on the figures and the information provided by Ms Rayner. That's what we used, and it told us we had to pay £30,000 based on the information provided to us. We believe that we did everything correctly and in good faith. Everything was exactly as it should be."

Remember, you can also watch us on YouTube.   

Three formidable figures from the heart of British politics-Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson, and Harriet Harman-sit down together each week for a conversation that cuts through the noise. This isn't a staged debate, but a frank, often surprising look behind the curtain of power. In Electoral Dysfunction, brought to you by Sky News, they apply their combined decades of frontline experience to dissect the real motives, the unspoken strategies, and the personal ambitions driving the headlines. You’ll hear them parse the language of politicians, questioning not just what is said but the meaning lurking between the lines. The core of this podcast is its unique dynamic: a blend of insider insight from across the political spectrum that identifies who is gaining ground and who, truly, is struggling with their own electoral dysfunction. It’s a masterclass in understanding the mechanics of politics, from policy to personality. Each episode feels like you’re eavesdropping on a private, knowledgeable discussion that makes sense of the week’s events in Westminster and across the country, offering clarity where there is often only confusion. For anyone trying to navigate the complexities of modern political life, this series provides an essential and deeply informed perspective.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Electoral Dysfunction
Podcast Episodes
How do you raise boys in a culture of misogyny? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:36
Do we have a cultural problem when it comes to teaching boys about sexual violence? The Labour government certainly thinks so with its new strategy.Home Office minister and former podcaster Jess Phillips tells Beth in th…
Does Starmer need his mates more than ever? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:45
Westminster is restless, and the team are digging into why. Beth, Ruth and Harriet discuss the growing unease inside Labour, as somebody new joins the cabinet table. We also go over the damning findings of Baroness Amos'…
Did Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves mislead us? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:32
The chancellor is being accused of "lying" over what she knew and when ahead of her budget – so did Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer actually mislead the public? Beth walks us through a detailed timeline of the OBR for…
Is the government gaslighting us over tax rises? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:13
With all the speculation, it was always going to be a big one, but Rachel Reeves's second budget turned into a political earthquake before she even stood up at the dispatch box.In this bumper budget special, Beth, Ruth a…
Shabana Mahmood – the new Margaret Thatcher? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:17
The home secretary is going hard on immigration and she's taking a lot of people with her, not least Kemi Badenoch and the Reform party.Shabana Mahmood is using her identity – as a British Asian Muslim – to prove why she…
Is Wes Streeting now a shoo-in for Labour leader? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:38
UPDATE: We talked again on this episode about speculation that Rachel Reeves was going to raise income tax rates in the budget. Since we recorded, Beth's been told that those plans have been ditched. Read her analysis he…
Why are prisoners being released by mistake? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:39
Who is to blame for two more inmates being wrongly freed from prison? The Conservatives attempted a mic drop moment with David Lammy this week by trying to get the Justice Secretary to admit to it live in the House of Co…
Cheat Sheet.... A new podcast from Sky News [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:11
Sophy Ridge and Wilf Frost bring you the Cheat Sheet to the day’s news in 10 minutes. On this first episode, they look at the Huntington mass stabbing and hear from an eye witness. Sophy’s spoken to the sole survivor of…
Is Zack Polanski making the Greens less green? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:50
Harriet responds to your messages about the Green Party after she went viral for her take on leader Zack Polanski.How does its surge in popularity link up with the result of the Caerphilly by-election? And is the party g…
How did the grooming gangs inquiry get so toxic? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:59
Sir Keir Starmer has backed safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, as a fifth abuse survivor calls on her to quit to restore trust in the grooming gangs inquiry. Beth, Ruth and Harriet explain why the national inquiry into…