J
ohn Prescott's love of luxury cars earned him the nickname "Two Jags", but his tastes were modest compared to those of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, according to Stephen Glover in the Daily Mail. Rayner has amassed a significant property portfolio, including an £800,000 seafront flat in Hove and a £650,000 detached house in Ashton-under-Lyne, her constituency. She also gets to use a three-bedroom ministerial apartment at Admiralty House on Whitehall, giving her access to ten bedrooms in total. This is a remarkable collection of properties for someone who claims to be a socialist, particularly given the government's efforts to make life harder for ordinary homeowners.

    This story has been touted as a scandal, but it doesn't quite add up, says Sam Leith in The Spectator. Rayner has never claimed to oppose second-home ownership and has actually supported the double council tax on such homes, which was introduced by the previous Tory government. She's even happy to pay the double tax on her Hove flat. When someone takes a personal hit for the greater good, we typically praise their integrity rather than accusing them of hypocrisy.