Angela Rayner Resigns as Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Labour Leader
Angela Rayner has stepped down from her high-profile roles as Deputy Prime Minister, Housing Secretary, and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party—a significant shake-up in the Labour government under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Rayner’s resignation follows a finding by the independent ethics adviser that she breached the Ministerial Code after underpaying stamp duty on a property purchase. She reportedly saved around £40,000 by treating a second home in Hove as her primary residence for tax purposes.
In her resignation letter to the Prime Minister, Rayner acknowledged that she had not met the required ethical standards and “deeply regretted” failing to seek specialist tax advice—especially given her role as Housing Secretary. She accepted full responsibility and cited the media pressure on her family as another contributing factor in her decision to resign.
Sir Keir Starmer responded with visible sadness and respect, praising Rayner as a “trusted colleague and friend” and acknowledging her substantial public service contributions.
Her departure accelerates an already underway cabinet reshuffle, now one of the most consequential of Starmer’s premiership—an outcome further complicated by this resignation being one of several in recent months.
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