In a significant blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has stepped down from her post. Rayner, who had also been serving as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government since July 2024, resigned after an investigation by the independent ethics adviser concluded that she had failed to pay the correct amount of tax on a property.
In her resignation letter, quoted by the Associated Press, Rayner admitted responsibility for the mistake. “I take full responsibility for this error. I want to make it clear that I never intended to pay less than the proper amount,” she wrote. Responding to her departure, Prime Minister Starmer expressed his admiration and sadness in a handwritten note, praising her political achievements and wishing her well.
Angela Rayner, 45, grew up in Stockport near Manchester in northern England. She left school with few qualifications after becoming a mother at 16 and worked as a care worker before entering politics. Despite her challenging background, she rose to one of the highest positions in the Labour government following the party’s landslide win in the 2024 general election.
Rayner often spoke about her difficult childhood, having been raised in one of the region’s most deprived housing estates. She cared for her mother, who struggled with mental health issues, while her father was frequently absent. Entering Parliament in 2015 as the Labour MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, she built her career through grassroots activism and her work with trade unions, which have traditionally been key Labour allies.
Once considered a possible successor to Starmer, Rayner commanded strong support among party members. She is also a mother of three sons, one of whom was born prematurely and lives with lifelong disabilities.
The controversy began after it emerged that Rayner had sold her share of a family property following her divorce in 2023, placing it in a trust to provide security for her child. She then purchased a flat, which she declared as her main residence. This classification allowed her to pay a lower property surcharge, but it was later found to be inaccurate.
On September 4, Rayner acknowledged that she had underpaid property tax on a home in Hove, valued at around £800,000 ($1.1 million). Reports suggest that by misclassifying the property, she avoided paying stamp duty of up to £40,000. In the United Kingdom, property transactions are subject to levies, with higher rates applied to costly or additional homes.
Rayner’s resignation has now opened a new chapter in British politics, with questions being raised about accountability and ethics within Starmer’s leadership team.