Angela Rayner has quit the government after underpaying £40,000 tax on a seaside flat in Hove she bought in May.
Rayner quit on Friday as deputy prime minister and housing secretary after an investigation by standards watchdog Sir Laurie Magnus found she had been advised by lawyers to seek out expert tax advice, but hadn’t.
Her resignation is a major political blow for Keir Starmer, who launched a government reshuffle in the wake of her departure.
Rayner had claimed the property in Hove was her main home, reducing the size of her stamp duty bill. However, the family home in her Ashton-under-Lyne constituency – which she shares with her ex-husband and is held in a trust set up for her disabled son – was also described as her primary residence.
Rayner, who now faces a substantial tax bill, said in a statement she “deeply regretted” not seeking specialist advice over the complicated affairs and that she took “full responsibility” for her error.
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