Ashcroft demands Starmer apology for Rayner ‘smear’ accusations

From left: Starmer, Rayner and Ashcroft, whose book about Rayner, Red Queen?, has prompted weeks of newspaper coverage. Composite: Pal Hansen; Shutterstock

The row between Keir Starmer and Michael Ashcroft deepened on Friday after the billionaire Conservative donor demanded an apology from the Labour leader for accusing him of “smearing” Angela Rayner over her tax affairs.

Lord Ashcroft hit back two days after Starmer said at prime minister’s questions on Wednesday: “We have a billionaire prime minister and a billionaire peer, both of whose families have used schemes to avoid millions of pounds of tax, smearing a working-class woman.”