This morning, the former deputy PM announced she’d been “cleared of deliberate wrongdoing” by HMRC over the £40,000 stamp duty scandal, and Express.co.uk readers don’t like it one bit. I’m not surprised. It’s a little… convenient. Well isn’t it? That’s the word that kept popping up on our message boards. In fact, the timing is more than convenient. It’s exquisite. Because the Labour leadership battle is set to ratchet up a notch today, with Wes Streeting poised to launch his leadership bid while PM Keir Starmer teeters on the brink.

Only yesterday, looked as though Rayner might be stuck on the sidelines, given the shadow of the tax scandal hanging over her. Then suddenly, just like that, the cloud lifts. I’ve been saying for weeks she clearly expected to get off with a slap on the wrist. HMRC didn’t even administer that. According to Rayner’s own account this morning, she’s settled the £40,000 bill and been cleared of deliberate wrongdoing or carelessness to boot.

The investigation took nine months to come up with that conclusion. It was teeth-grindingly slow, until suddenly it wasn’t. Funny how these things work out. Of course, we only have her word for it so far. HMRC is yet to make it official. It sounds like she got a sneak preview and couldn’t contain herself. Or thought it might put the breeze up Wes Streeting.

It’s lovely-jubbly for Rayner now, who can enjoy her £800,000 seaside pad in Hove without forever cursing it for wrecking her political ambitions. She was quick to share the happy news, and equally quick to tell us all what a wonderfully high-minded person she is, devoted to the struggles of others rather than the advancement of herself.

Rayner told The Guardian she wouldn’t rule herself out of any leadership contest, but assured us she isn’t chasing personal glory. Her dream is deliver change. “It’s not a personal ambition, I know the difference it makes.”

That selfless statement brought a tear to my eye, and possibly her own. Next time she’s floating in the sea off Hove, longing for a cheeky puff of Fuji Apple e-liquid vape, she can reflect on how public spirited she is. Somebody who not only ‘makes a difference’ but even pays her taxes. Even if she took a little prodding.

Now she can get on with the serious business of caring for others saying: “I want the people out there at the moment who are really struggling … to know that I’m putting all my energy into fighting for them.”

She should have more energy to spare now her property purchase has been cleared. Unfortunately, she’ll expend much of it to dreaming up new taxes that the rest of us will have to pay. Immediately. In full. Without waiting months to see whether the taxman decides it was all an innocent misunderstanding. And no penalties at the end of it.

If you think it’s a bit whiffy, you’re not alone. Express.co.uk readers certainly think so. Christina11 noted it’s now been nine months since Angela Rayner resigned saying: “It can’t have been a ‘cut and dry’ case to have taken that long to investigate. Yet, by some miracle she’s been cleared just in the nick of time. How lucky is she?”

Lucky indeed. Reader Cardiff gal was more forthright saying: “This absolutely stinks. Whether intentional or not, she didn’t pay what she owed. This is not the first time she’s had tax issues when buying/selling property.”

Bigdavid blasted what he saw as Rayner’s “two-tier treatment”. “If any of us had been late payers we would have had interest added and/or fines.” Sal000 summed up the sceptical mood saying: “So convenient.”

None of this will bother Angela Rayner. Today, she’s free, if £40,000 lighter. Presumably she’s good for it. Now she can pour her boundless energy into Labour Party in-fighting while ordinary hard-working taxpayers foot the rocketing bill for this scandalously bad Labour government