Who is Angela Rayner? Keir Starmer’s Deputy Quits Amid Tax Controversy

Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Angela Rayner, stepped down after admitting to mistakes in paying property tax, a move that has triggered new political trouble for Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Labour Party, CNN reported on Friday. 

Angela Rayner Steps Down As Deputy Leader of Labour Party

Rayner, who also stepped down as deputy leader of the Labour Party and housing minister, said in her resignation letter that the intense media spotlight had made her role “unbearable.”

In her resignation letter, Angela wrote, “I must also consider the significant toll that the ongoing pressure of the media is taking on my family. While I rightly expect proper scrutiny on me and my life, my family did not choose to have their private lives interrogated and exposed so publicly”.

Inquiry Finds Stamp Duty Error on Seaside Flat

The investigation focused on Rayner’s £800,000 seaside apartment in Hove, which she had classified as her primary residence. However, because another family home remains in trust for her disabled son, the property technically counts as a second home, incurring an additional stamp duty surcharge.

Officials estimate she owed around £40,000 more in tax than originally declared. The inquiry found that Rayner relied on legal advice that was not specialist tax guidance, despite being warned to seek expert opinion.

CNN noted that her departure marks a significant blow for Starmer’s government, which is already battling public discontent and a surge in right-wing opposition. (Inputs from ANI)

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