Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, has admitted that she failed to pay the correct property tax on a flat she purchased. The 45-year-old Labour politician said the mistake came from “inaccurate” legal advice and has since referred herself to the government’s ethics adviser as well as the tax authorities.
Speaking on a Sky News podcast, Rayner said the revelation left her in shock, admitting she even questioned whether she should resign. “I thought I’d done everything properly… I relied on the advice I received, and I’m devastated because I’ve always tried to uphold the rules,” she explained.
The controversy surrounds her apartment in Hove, southern England. Reports claim she avoided about £40,000 in stamp duty by removing her name from another property, making the flat her sole ownership. Rayner, however, said her lawyers failed to consider her full personal circumstances, including a trust fund for her disabled son, which meant the correct stamp duty was not paid.
Despite the uproar, Prime Minister Keir Starmer stood firmly by her, praising her transparency. He told parliament that Rayner had gone “over and above” in explaining her situation and expressed pride in having her as his deputy. A strong voice on Labour’s left, Rayner remains a key figure frequently tipped as a future party leader.
