Angela Rayner stung with another blow in housing row as neighbour says he'll give evidence

Sir Keir has backed his deputy and called the accusations a 'smear' (Image: Getty)

A witness in Angela Rayner's housing scandal has told Greater Manchester Police (GMP) he can give evidence against the Labour deputy in court. Ms Rayner has been plagued by questions over her past living arrangements after GMP opened an investigation into the sale of her council house in 2015.

The scandal shows no sign of going away as a former neighbour to Ms Rayner, Chris Hinnett, told the Mail on Sunday that he was willing to give evidence in court that she was the landlady of the property she claims was her home. On top of this, at least five former neighbours of Mr Rayner have now told police she did not live in the house she claimed was her home.

The deputy Labour leader is facing serious questions over whether she paid the right amount of tax on the 2015 sale of her Stockport council house, with a dispute over whether it was her principal residence at the time.

The deputy leader is facing questions over whether she paid the right amount of tax on the sale (Image: Getty)

Ms Rayner maintains her ex-council house in Vicarage Road was her 'principal property', but neighbours insist she was in fact living at her husband's house in Lowndes Lane.

Her former neighbours on Vicarage Road said she moved out in late 2009 and rented her property to her brother, Darren Bowen, 46.

However, Ms Rayner continued to claim the Vicarage Road property as her main residence, which would have allowed her not to pay any capital gains tax on the £48,500 profit she made when she sold the property in 2015.

GMP is investigating whether Ms Rayner broke the law by failing to properly declare her living arrangements.

The extensive investigation covers potential breaches of electoral law, a failure to pay capital gains tax and a single-occupancy council tax discount being falsely claimed by Ms Rayner.

One of the neighbours on Vicarage Road, Mr Hinett, 64, has already told the police about a conversation he had with Ms Rayner after a neighbour's son broke her window with his football.

He told the Mail on Sunday: "She told me she was the landlady of the house and her brother lived there, and he wasn't strong enough to deal with the likes of us.

"I have given a statement to the police, and I said to them I am happy to say in court that she told me she was the landlady. If she says she lived at Vicarage Road, I am saying she is a liar."

Greater Manchester Police opened an investigation into the sale of her council house in 2015 (Image: Getty)

Following the new updates to the case, a Labour spokesman said: "Angela has been clear that she will co-operate with any investigation. We remain confident that she has complied with the rules. It's now appropriate to let the police do their work."

Ms Rayner has said that if the police find she has broken the law she will stand down as deputy leader.

In April, Ms Rayner accused Conservative ministers of “obsessing” over her living arrangements while her party leader Sir Keir Stamer called the accusations a "smear".