Angela Rayner Steps Down as Deputy Prime Minister Amid Tax Affairs Investigation

Angela Rayner has stepped down from government after the prime minister’s advisor on ministerial integrity concluded she neglected to pay the proper stamp duty on a secondary residence, rendering her role unsustainable.

The deputy prime minister and housing secretary resigned on Thursday, mere hours after Sir Laurie Magnus submitted his findings to Sir Keir Starmer. The inquiry focused on a £40,000 penalty Rayner ought to have paid for a property in Hove. She had maintained that she adhered to legal counsel and settled the appropriate rate, but sought examination after a senior lawyer subsequently indicated that the penalty was owed.

Starmer acknowledged Magnus’s conclusions and concluded that Rayner could not continue in her position, prompting her resignation. A prompt cabinet reshuffle is anticipated to appoint a new housing secretary, while Labour will also initiate the process of selecting a new deputy leader.

Rayner’s exit concludes a challenging week for the government, which has encountered increasing inquiries regarding ministerial standards as it readies for the 26 November Budget.