By Abiola Olawale
Angela Rayner has announced her decision to resign from office as the Deputy Minister of the United Kingdom (UK) following a controversy over unpaid stamp duty on a property purchase.
The resignation, announced on Friday, comes after an independent investigation concluded that Rayner allegedly breached the ministerial code by failing to pay approximately £40,000 in stamp duty on a flat in Hove, East Sussex, England.
Rayner, was said to have allegedly admitted to underpaying the tax on the £800,000 property, citing complex personal circumstances, including a trust fund established for her son with disabilities.
She was also said to have referred herself to the government’s ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, on Wednesday, who delivered his report to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday.
The report found that while Rayner acted in good faith, she failed to seek specialist tax advice, breaching ethical standards expected of government ministers.
Following the development, Rayner in a statement on Friday, said she took “full responsibility for this error,” adding, “I have long believed that people who serve the British public in government must always observe the highest standards, and while the Independent Adviser has concluded I acted in good faith and with honesty and integrity throughout, I accept that I did not meet the highest standards in relation to my recent property purchase.”
She acknowledged she should have sought expert tax advice, noting, “I deeply regret not seeking specialist tax advice, especially given my government position and complex personal situation. I would like to take this opportunity to repeat that it was never my intention to do anything other than pay the right amount.”
