UK Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner resigned after acknowledging she had underpaid £40,000 ($54,000) in property tax on her new home in Hove. She stepped down as Housing Secretary and Labour’s deputy leader.
Britain’s independent adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, found she breached the ministerial code. He said she failed to seek expert tax advice despite warnings.
“I deeply regret not getting specialist tax advice,” Rayner wrote to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “I take full responsibility for this mistake.” She said the strain on her family influenced the decision.
Starmer called Rayner a “trusted colleague and true friend.” He was saddened but backed her choice. Her departure is his most significant resignation to date and a blow to his leadership.
🚨 BREAKING: Angela Rayner's resignation letter pic.twitter.com/ZNIpPoe42H
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) September 5, 2025Rayner, a former working-class teenage mother, helped bridge Labour’s left and centre. A Labour MP said, “Losing Ange is tough, but she had to go.” Some expect she may challenge Starmer later, though she may stay quiet for now.
The resignation comes as Labour trails Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in polls. At Reform’s Birmingham conference, Farage called Labour’s government a “deep crisis” and hinted at an early 2027 election. He attacked Labour for failing to deliver change and criticised gifts accepted by Starmer.
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Rayner referred herself to the adviser on September 3, 2025, after discovering the underpayment. A complex family setup, including a trust for her disabled son, contributed to the error. She began correcting the tax after further legal advice, but the breach still led to her exit.
Her resignation highlights the pressure on Starmer’s government during economic strain and public scrutiny. It also empowers Reform UK and raises concerns about Labour’s stability.
