Angela Rayner resigned as Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary after admitting she underpaid stamp duty on an £800,000 Hove flat, sparking a major political crisis for Keir Starmer.
The ethics investigation by Sir Laurie Magnus found Rayner breached the ministerial code by relying on incorrect legal advice that she was exempt from the second-home surcharge due to a trust for her disabled son.
Rayner initially insisted she paid the correct amount but later conceded the error after fresh legal advice, prompting her to refer herself to the ethics adviser.
GB News interrupted programming to announce her resignation, with Christopher Hope reporting it as a significant blow to Labour, creating four frontbench vacancies.
Rayner’s resignation letter expressed regret, denying intentional tax evasion, but critics like Andrew Pierce argued ignorance of the law was no defense.
Miriam Cates defended Rayner, citing complex tax rules, while James Cleverly accused Starmer of weakness for not sacking her earlier.
The scandal, amplified by Rayner’s past criticism of Tory tax issues, has fueled public and political scrutiny, with calls for a tax law review growing louder.
The ethics investigation by Sir Laurie Magnus found Rayner breached the ministerial code by relying on incorrect legal advice that she was exempt from the second-home surcharge due to a trust for her disabled son.
Rayner initially insisted she paid the correct amount but later conceded the error after fresh legal advice, prompting her to refer herself to the ethics adviser.
GB News interrupted programming to announce her resignation, with Christopher Hope reporting it as a significant blow to Labour, creating four frontbench vacancies.
Rayner’s resignation letter expressed regret, denying intentional tax evasion, but critics like Andrew Pierce argued ignorance of the law was no defense.
Miriam Cates defended Rayner, citing complex tax rules, while James Cleverly accused Starmer of weakness for not sacking her earlier.
The scandal, amplified by Rayner’s past criticism of Tory tax issues, has fueled public and political scrutiny, with calls for a tax law review growing louder.
