LABOUR MP James Frith has said he was surprised that Tory leader Kemi Badenoch did not focus more on the property tax controversy involving Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner during PMQs today.

Speaking on GB News, he said: “I think Keir, the Prime Minister, performed very well. I think he probably would have expected Kemi Badenoch to zone in more. I think, notwithstanding the short notice, I’m surprised she didn’t lean into that more.

“My concern goes with Angela, actually, in what is a really difficult family issue for her. Not only has she disclosed some very, very private and frankly confidential information about her own children, the complication then also of being in a post-divorce arrangement with her ex-husband and the care of their children, which they continue to share.

“She has orchestrated that. She has made clear the difficulties. She has taken in good faith and any of us that have taken legal counsel before, you do take legal counsel in good faith.

“It’s been considered now inaccurate, and she’s disclosed that, and she’ll make amends in due course, if required to.

“…on a human level, it is a very difficult moment for Angela.”

In a discussion during PMQs Live with Charlie Peters and Gloria De Piero, Frith added: “It requires explanation, for sure, and from the reports I’ve read, we were all left with the short notice to gen up on the issue, but the report that I’ve read made pretty clear that the chronology of this. The sequence at which it has happened demonstrates no intent of tax evasion.

“She’s been crystal clear. She’s referred herself to the Ethics [Commissioner], the PM has come out and said she’s gone over and above. She will, in due course, face that scrutiny and accountability, and she’s done an interview with a competing broadcaster making very clear her account of events

“In due course that scrutiny will conclude, having referred herself to the Ethics Commissioner.”

Shadow Science Secretary Julia Lopez countered: “The challenge with her is that she’s never shown any human compassion and consideration when she’s been attacking people from her position in opposition.

“The challenge the public have with a lot of this is the sheer brass neck and hypocrisy of Labour over so many of these issues.

“And, as I say, at a time when they’re going to be asking people to pay more and more taxes to pay for your economic incompetence, it couldn’t be worse timing for Labour to have a story that’s breaking about the Deputy Prime Minister perceived to have dodged her own tax obligations.”

She added: “She’s referred herself to the Standards Commissioner, so there’s much longer to run on this story, but you are going to be taking more and more money from ordinary people at a time when there is a perception that Labour ministers have dodged their own obligations, that is a big challenge.

“I’m afraid asking for public sympathy is going to be very difficult when she, as a character, has given no sympathy, when she has been relentlessly attacking other people in public life.”