Sky News: UK deputy prime minister resigns over stamp duty dispute

Angela Rayner has resigned as the United Kingdom’s deputy prime minister, housing secretary, and deputy leader of the Labour Party after admitting she had underpaid stamp duty on a property.

Her resignation followed an investigation into whether she had breached the ministerial code, according to Sky News. 

Earlier this week, Rayner referred herself to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, who submitted his report shortly before her announcement.

In her resignation letter to Starmer, Rayner said the controversy had placed an intolerable burden on her family.

“The strain my children have been put through by my remaining in post has become unbearable,” she wrote, adding that she “deeply” regretted not seeking additional specialist tax advice earlier.

Rayner had previously maintained that she did not owe tax on her flat in Hove, citing legal advice she had received at the time. However, media reports alleged she had underpaid by £40,000, prompting her to seek further counsel. This later concluded the property should have been treated as a second home.

“I would like to take this opportunity to repeat that it was never my intention to do anything other than pay the right amount,” she stated.

Reflecting on her career, Rayner highlighted her working-class background.

“For a teenage mum from a council estate in Stockport to serve as the highest level of government has been the honour of my life,” she wrote. “The challenges of government are nothing compared to the challenge of putting food on the table and getting a roof over our head when I brought up kids working as a home help.”

By Sabina Mammadli