Keir Starmer insists police are looking into Angela Rayner house sale row because 'Tories are prodding it left, right and centre'

Sir Keir Starmer has suggested police are looking into Angela Rayner's house sale purely because the Conservatives are 'prodding it left, right and centre'. The Labour Party leader has criticised his rivals for 'spending all of the local election campaign' talking about Ms Rayner.

Greater Manchester Police is investigating whether the Ashton-under-Lyne MP broke electoral law over information she gave about her previous living situation. She has faced scrutiny over whether she paid the right amount of tax when selling her Stockport ex-council house in 2015, amid questions over whether it was her main residence.

Ms Rayner insists she is 'completely confident' she has not broken any rules, and says she took legal advice. Asked by Channel 4 News' political editor Gary Gibbon if he was 'baffled' that GMP is looking into the matter, Sir Keir replied: "I’m in no doubt why they are looking at it - because the Tory party are prodding it left, right and centre."

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Sir Keir told Channel 4 News he was 'assured' that Ms Rayner was 'answering all the relevant questions' and would co-operate with the police and tax authorities. He also insisted it was 'not necessary' for him to look at the legal advice issued to Ms Rayner himself.

"Police are conducting this inquiry," Sir Keir added. "They will come to the conclusion. And frankly the sooner a line is drawn under this, the better."

GMP had initially said it would not investigate the allegations surrounding Ms Rayner's former home, which she sold before becoming an MP. But the force eventually launched a probe following a complaint from James Daly, Conservative MP for Bury North, who has declined to outline the specifics of his complaint.

In a statement issued last week, Ms Rayner promised she would 'step down' if she was found to have committed a criminal offence. "I’ve repeatedly said I would welcome the chance to sit down with the appropriate authorities, including the police and HMRC, to set out the facts and draw a line under this matter," she added.

"I am completely confident I’ve followed the rules at all times. I have always said that integrity and accountability are important in politics. That’s why it’s important that this is urgently looked at, independently and without political interference."