HOW SAFE?

COLLEAGUES last night rallied round beleaguered Angela Rayner as her home tax row turned toxic when thugs daubed vile graffiti outside her home.

- BY ASHLEY COWBURN and LIZZY BUCHAN

But the Deputy PM's job hangs by a thread after a conveyance firm she claimed gave her bad advice on stamp duty last night denied offering her guidance on the matter.

Rayner is awaiting a report from ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus, which could spell the end if he rules she has breached the ministerial code of conduct by not paying enough stamp duty on her £800,000 home in Hove, East Sussex. His findings could land today.

And as the vultures swirled, with the likes of Tory leader Kemi Badenoch reiterating her call for Keir Starmer to sack his deputy, the PM plunged her future into doubt after he refused to say whether he would fire her if found in breach.

Rayner admitted not paying enough stamp duty but claimed she was given bad advice by Verrico & Associates of Herne Bay, Kent.

But the firm's managing director said: “We're not qualified to give advice on trust and tax matters and we advise clients to seek expert advice on these.

“We believe we did everything correctly and in good faith. Everything was exactly as it should be. We're being made scapegoats.”

Starmer, who until now has defended Rayner, said he was expecting a result from Sir Laurie “pretty quickly”. He added: “Then of course I will act on whatever the report is that's put in front of me.”