BBC star Chris Packham sparks outrage as he backs disgraced Angela Rayner

BBC presenter Chris Packham took to social media with a passionate rant defending Angela Rayner from critics and slamming the backlash for her stamp duty "error" as a "witch-hunt." The Springwatch star shared the minute-long video on Thursday (September 4) but quickly came under fire from viewers in a heated "hypocrisy" row that came when the future of the Deputy Prime Minister's career in the Labour Party was uncertain. Just hours before Rayner resigned from her roles, she found herself at the centre of controversy after she didn't pay approximately £40,000 in additional charges typically applied to second property purchases.

During an interview with Sky News, the politician maintained that she received guidance from three separate legal professionals before completing the transaction, including one conveyancer and two trust law specialists who allegedly confirmed her payment calculations were accurate. Among the calls for her to resign, Rayner also received support from many public figures, including Chris, who expressed empathy for the 45-year-old. The presenter shared: "Hello, I've just been watching the news, and someone that I know is in a spot of bother, and I'm bound to empathise with that, because I'm often in a spot of bother myself.

"There's a bit of a witch hunt going on. Well, there's lots of witch hunts, because we're making witches to hunt them, which doesn't seem the right order of things from my perspective."

"But this person is someone whom I've known for some time, and whose values I trust," he added.

"We share a commonality; we grew up in a working-class background, and I believe that they went into public service because they wanted to deliver in that regard.

Chris concluded: "I think that to lose them at this point would be foolish, because at this point, we need to keep our friends, because in the very near future, it seems, we might have some very real enemies."

However, his sentiments were inundated with backlash as one fumed: "Sorry, just to clarify, you think a person who tried to dodge £40k in stamp duty using funds from a trust set up to look after her disabled son has strong moral principles?"

A second raged: "Absolute cobblers! If this was any other MP from Reform, Conservatives in exactly the same situation you would be calling for heads to roll & you know it."

"You don't get to decide what's right or wrong, Chris. Knowing someone isn't evidence," another pointed out.

One hit back: "Whenever we have a politician in trouble, their supporters come out and cry about how unfair it is. But they are usually the very same people who jump on the bandwagon when it is someone they disagree with. Hypocrisy everywhere."

Although Rayner paid the shortfall and blamed incorrect tax advice for her "error," she announced her resignation and told the Prime Minister in a public letter that she "deeply regrets the decision not to seek additional specialist tax advice."

"I take full responsibility for the error," she added. "I would like to take this opportunity to repeat that it was never my intention to do anything other than pay the right amount."

The Prime Minister's ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, prepared an assessment and outlined how she breached the ministerial standards, in a letter to Starmer, he stated: "I believe Ms Rayner has acted with integrity and with a dedicated and exemplary commitment to public service.

"I consider, however, that her unfortunate failure to settle her SDLT liability at the correct level, coupled with the fact that this was established only following intensive public scrutiny, leads me to advise you that, in relation to this matter, she cannot be considered to have met the 'highest possible standards of proper conduct' as envisaged by the Code. Accordingly, it is with deep regret that I must advise you that in these circumstances, I consider the Code to have been breached."