Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, has resigned after an investigation found she breached the ministerial code by underpaying property tax on a flat purchase.
The decision, announced on Friday, September 5, marks a significant setback for Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Labour government, which is already grappling with mounting political pressures.
Rayner, who also served as Housing Minister and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, admitted earlier this week that she had not paid enough on the property transaction and referred herself to the government’s ethics adviser.
The case centered on a stamp duty surcharge she underpaid after buying a flat in southern England.
Independent ethics chief Laurie Magnus, in a letter to Starmer, ruled that Rayner had ignored legal warnings and therefore breached the ministerial code.
“She failed to heed the caution of the advice she received,” Magnus wrote.
Although he noted her integrity and commitment to public service, he concluded that the code had indeed been violated.
In her resignation letter, Rayner said the controversy had taken a toll on her family. “Given the findings, and the impact on my family, I have therefore decided to resign,” she stated.
She added that she deeply regretted not seeking more specialist tax advice and took “full responsibility” for the error.
The scandal revolves around Rayner’s decision after her 2023 divorce to sell her share of the family home to a trust fund created for her son, who was born prematurely and is registered blind. She then used the proceeds to buy a flat.
She declared the property as her primary residence, which reduced her stamp duty liability, but later admitted this was wrong since her son is under 18 and the family trust technically retained an interest in the other home.
Reports suggested she saved as much as £40,000 ($53,000) through this arrangement.
Starmer expressed sadness over her departure, telling Rayner she would remain “a major figure in our party.”
Despite stepping down, she retains strong influence in Labour circles, particularly among grassroots members who view her as a champion of working-class voters.
Rayner’s resignation has sparked intense debate in Westminster.
Conservatives and right-wing media outlets, who had long targeted her with criticism, seized on the case as proof of Labour’s vulnerability.
Within Labour, however, her exit is seen as a painful loss of one of the party’s most popular and outspoken figures, often tipped as a potential future leader.
Her personal story, from leaving school at 16 with no qualifications after becoming a teenage mother to rising as one of the most powerful women in British politics, had made her a relatable figure to many voters.
Now, her fall from office raises questions about Labour’s stability and the pressure mounting on Starmer’s leadership as the government faces scrutiny on multiple fronts.
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