Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has resigned from her role after admitting she failed to pay the correct amount of stamp duty on a second home purchase in Hove, East Sussex.
The Labour deputy leader, who also served as housing secretary, confirmed her decision shortly after a report from Sir Laurie Magnus, the prime minister’s standards adviser, concluded she had breached the ministerial code despite acting with “integrity” and “dedication to public service.”
Angela Rayner Steps Down Following Tax Controversy
Rayner admitted during a Sky News podcast earlier this week that she had underpaid tax when purchasing her property. Initially advised she was not liable for second home duty, she later sought further legal advice after media reports suggested she owed around £40,000.
In her resignation letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Rayner said the pressure on her children had become “unbearable” and expressed regret for not seeking specialist tax advice sooner. “It was never my intention to do anything other than pay the right amount,” she wrote, adding that serving in government had been the “honour of my life.”
Rayner reflected on her journey from a teenage mother in Stockport to one of the country’s most senior political roles, crediting Labour’s past reforms, including council housing, Sure Start, and the minimum wage, for helping her succeed.
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Sir Keir responded with “deep sadness,” praising Rayner as a “trusted colleague and true friend,” and highlighting his respect for her political achievements.
This is a developing story, and further updates are expected in the coming days.
