RAYNER wars gripped the Labour Party today as MPs divided over whether the embattled deputy premier could survive her stamp duty scandal.

Cabinet members largely rallied to Housing Secretary Angela Rayner’s support as she waited on the report of the independent ethics adviser, Laurie Magnus, whose verdict will settle her future.

But Labour backbenchers were divided, with one leading left MP telling the Star “she has to go.”

The release of the report is expected imminently. It will probe the circumstances under which Ms Rayner underpaid tax on a new property purchased in Hove by £40,000.

She has blamed the underpayment on poor legal advice at the time, relating to the transfer of ownership of her family home in her constituency to a trust following her divorce.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has thus far stood by his deputy. Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Commons leader Lucy Powell both spoke in support of Ms Rayner today.

Ms Reeves said: “She’s a good friend and a colleague. She has accepted the right stamp duty wasn’t paid. That was an error, that was a mistake. She is working hard now to rectify that, in contact with HMRC, to make sure that the correct tax is paid.”

But Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson was less supportive, saying that comment should await the Magnus report.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told ITV News: “I think she has made an enormous mistake and it’s a real problem for her and Keir Starmer.  

“If you buy a place you have to pay stamp duty, end of.”