September 05, 2025
JamRadio News Desk | Political Affairs Team |
In a dramatic turn of events, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has resigned from government following revelations that she underpaid £40,000 in stamp duty on her £800,000 Hove flat. The resignation marks a significant blow to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s administration, already grappling with economic stagnation and internal dissent.
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Rayner, who also held the role of Housing Secretary and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, admitted earlier this week that she had relied on incorrect legal advice when purchasing the property. She paid the standard stamp duty rate of £30,000, but later acknowledged she should have paid closer to £70,000 due to rules governing second homes.
The Deputy Prime Minister has tweeted her resignation latter
— Angela Rayner (@AngelaRayner) September 5, 2025
In her resignation letter, Rayner cited the emotional toll on her family, particularly her disabled son, whose trust fund was involved in the property transaction. “The strain my children have been put through has become unbearable,” she wrote, adding that she “deeply regrets” not seeking specialist tax advice sooner.
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The scandal intensified after graffiti appeared on Rayner’s Hove residence, branding her a “tax evader”. Critics, including Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, demanded her dismissal, while Labour colleagues defended her transparency and intent to rectify the error.
Rayner’s departure comes just 14 months after Labour’s landslide victory, and her exit leaves a vacuum in the party’s left-wing leadership. Known for her working-class roots and fiery rhetoric, Rayner had been a counterbalance to Starmer’s centrist approach.
The Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, Sir Laurie Magnus, had been reviewing the case before her resignation was announced. HMRC is now expected to investigate the tax discrepancy further.
This story is developing.
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