Resident pays for council to clean graffiti outside Angela Rayner’s flat

A resident has paid for the cleanup of graffiti outside Angela Rayner’s seaside flat in Hove, the council has said.

The word “bitch” along with a much larger sign saying “tax evader!” were pictured on a white wall on the outside of the home earlier this week, after it emerged that Ms Rayner admitted underpaying stamp duty on the property.

Ms Rayner quit as deputy prime minister, housing secretary and deputy Labour leader on Friday following an official probe into the admission.

The Prime Minister and Ms Rayner both condemned the vandalism, and a Brighton and Hove City Council spokesperson said on Friday: “Due to security concerns, and in line with our policy of removal of offensive graffiti, we have removed graffiti reported in Hove. This has been paid for by a resident.”

Ms Rayner’s spokesperson has called the vandalism “totally unjustifiable and beyond the pale” and said it is a matter for the police.

Across the road from her seafront flat, “Tax evader Rayner” and “Rayner tax avoidance” were graffitied on construction chipboard.

A Downing Street spokesman previously said: “Some of you may have seen the photos of the vandalism of the Deputy Prime Minister’s home this morning.

“The Prime Minister condemns this vandalism in the strongest possible terms.

“Whatever scrutiny our parliamentarians may face, it is appalling that their private homes should be targeted in this way.”

Similar graffiti was also daubed on the pavement close to the front of the property.

Ms Rayner’s spokesperson said: “This vandalism to residents’ homes is totally unjustifiable and beyond the pale.

“Neither Angela nor her neighbours deserve to be subjected to harassment and intimidation.

“It will rightly be a matter for the police to take action as they deem appropriate.”

MP for Hove and Portslade, Peter Kyle, told the PA news agency “Hove is better than this” as he expressed disappointment at the graffiti.

Mr Kyle, who became Business and Trade Secretary in Friday’s reshuffle, said: “I’m really disappointed that the heritage wall has been defaced over this issue. Hove is better than this.

“There are many, many ways people can express their anger and disappointment in Angela Rayner, including reporting her to the Commissioner for Standards. But defacing a wall is not one of those ways.”

Workers from Brighton and Hove City Council had turned up to clear off the graffiti on Thursday afternoon but withdrew after complaints from locals about how quickly the clean up was happening compared to similar vandalism across the city.

A spokesperson for Sussex Police said on Thursday: “We have been made aware of graffiti outside an address in Hove.

“The matter is being treated as criminal damage and we are proactively making enquiries to gather information as to the circumstances.

“We will be contacting the homeowner to identify and address any further concerns.

“Anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting serial 528 of 04/09.”