Angela Rayner has stood down from government after the prime minister\u2019s ethics adviser found she had breached the ministerial code over her underpayment of stamp duty on her \u00a3800,000 seaside flat.<\/p>\n
In a huge blow to Keir Starmer, Sir Laurie Magnus found that Rayner had \u201cacted with integrity and with a dedicated and exemplary commitment to public service\u201d but concluded she had breached the ministerial code over her tax affairs.<\/p>\n
Rayner\u2019s departure is deeply damaging for the prime minister, who initially stood firmly by her, and his authority has been badly bruised as a result. She has quit as his deputy and housing secretary, and as deputy leader of the Labour<\/a> party.<\/p>\n Downing Street sources confirmed the prime minister would now conduct a reshuffle, but that Rachel Reeves would remain in post as chancellor.<\/p>\n In her resignation letter, Rayner said that she \u201cdeeply regrets\u201d her decision not to seek \u201cadditional specialist tax advice\u201d over her purchase of the Hove property.<\/p>\n She said that she \u201cmust also consider the significant toll that the ongoing pressure of the media is taking\u201d on her family, despite her journey from \u201ca teenage mum from a council estate in Stockport\u201d to the highest level of government being \u201cthe honour of my life\u201d.<\/p>\n In his response Starmer said Rayner would \u201cremain a major figure in our party\u201d and would \u201ccontinue to fight for the causes you care so passionately about\u201d.<\/p>\n Rayner\u2019s departure leaves the Labour government without one of its most authentic \u2013 and powerful \u2013 working-class voices at a time when it is struggling to reconnect with its traditional voter base and trailing Reform UK in the polls.<\/p>\n Rayner had referred herself to the ethics adviser after confirming she would have to pay more stamp duty \u2013 which experts have predicted could run to as much as \u00a340,000 \u2013 because she had incorrectly paid the lower rate on the flat in Hove.<\/p>\n