Sun. Dec 22nd, 2024
alert-–-the-mystery-over-angela-rayner’s-name-change-on-the-electoral-roll-as-deputy-labour-leader-faces-probe-over-housing-arrangementsAlert – The mystery over Angela Rayner’s name change on the electoral roll as deputy Labour leader faces probe over housing arrangements

Part of the mystery of Angela Rayner’s post-marital living arrangements is a 2013 change she made to the electoral register.

At the time, Ms Rayner, who bought her former council house in Vicarage Road in 2007, had just moved beyond the five-year point after which the discount obtained on the purchase does not have to be returned to the council.

She received a discount of £26,000 from Stockport council on the right-to-buy price of £79,000. 

The rules state that owners must repay all the discounts if they sell within the first year.

After that the penalty would fall to 20 per cent in the second year, 15 per cent in the third and so forth. 

Angela Rayner, who bought her former council house in Vicarage Road, Stockport in 2007, had just moved beyond the five-year point after which the discount obtained on the purchase does not have to be returned to the council when she changed her electoral register entry in 2013

Angela Rayner, who bought her former council house in Vicarage Road, Stockport in 2007, had just moved beyond the five-year point after which the discount obtained on the purchase does not have to be returned to the council when she changed her electoral register entry in 2013

Ms Rayner received a discount of £26,000 from Stockport council on the right-to-buy price of £79,000 for her former property in Vicarage Road

Ms Rayner received a discount of £26,000 from Stockport council on the right-to-buy price of £79,000 for her former property in Vicarage Road

In 2013, Ms Rayner, who had been listed as Angela Bowen on the roll since 2007, changed her entry to Angela Rayner.

READ MORE: BBC cut short Angela Rayner interview comparing housing row to Keir Starmer’s ‘Beergate’ scandal for ‘editorial reasons’

There she stayed until she left the roll shortly before becoming an MP in 2015 and put the house on the market.

Meanwhile, her husband Mark Rayner and her brother Darren Bowen were listed at Lowndes Lane. 

In April 2016, the Lowndes Lane house was sold for £145,250, and the Rayners moved to a £375,000 house in her Ashton-under-Lyne constituency.

A spokesman for the Electoral Commission has told The Mail on Sunday that ‘it is not an offence to not update your entry on the register’ – but the same does not apply to actively recording the wrong information.

They added: ‘The commission does not have access to the details of an individual’s registration history, which are held by the relevant Electoral Registration Officer, therefore it is not possible to make a judgment on whether any offences took place. 

‘Any question relating to whether an offence has been committed in relation to registering to vote should be directed to the police.’

While Ms Rayner was registered at Vicarage Road, her husband and brother were registered on the electoral roll at a property in Lowndes Lane

While Ms Rayner was registered at Vicarage Road, her husband and brother were registered on the electoral roll at a property in Lowndes Lane

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