Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner is facing calls to step down after she was accused of dodging capital gains tax on a house sale. Rayner has denied the allegations, but has refused to allow her boss, Sir Keir Starmer, to look at the “tax advice” she says exonerates her. Starmer has said he does not want to look at the details because he does not want to suggest that he does not trust Rayner. However, critics have accused him of being afraid to hold his deputy to account. The row comes at a difficult time for Labour, which is trailing the Conservatives in the polls and is facing a general election in 2024. If Rayner is found guilty of tax dodging, it would be a major blow to the party’s reputation and could cost it votes.