Angela Rayner’s Stamp Duty Row Sparks Political Storm as Starmer Holds His Ground
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has stepped down from her ministerial roles after admitting she failed to pay the correct amount of stamp duty on a second home, a revelation that has thrown Labour into a fresh storm.
The controversy centres on Rayner’s £800,000 flat in Hove. By removing her name from the deeds of a family property in Ashton-under-Lyne, she avoided paying the higher rate of stamp duty usually required on second homes.
The underpayment is believed to total around £40,000.
Rayner, who also served as Housing Secretary, insists she acted on flawed legal advice and has promised to settle any outstanding tax with HMRC.
She has also referred herself to the independent adviser on ministerial standards, describing the period as “distressing” for her family.
Speaking to Sky News, she admitted: “I alerted and referred myself to the ethics adviser as soon as I realised I had been liable to pay additional stamp duty.”
She went on: “I think the accusations were that I set up a trust and I flipped it to try and avoid paying it. But actually the complex area of the trust which the advice that I relied upon didn’t pick that up.”
Starmer Backs His Deputy
Sir Keir Starmer has refused to distance himself from his deputy. In the Commons, he praised Rayner for doing the “right thing” by referring herself for investigation.
He added: “But I can be clear, I’m very proud to sit alongside a Deputy Prime Minister who is building 1.5 million homes… who’s come from a working class background.”
Starmer also warned against what he called “briefings” and “whispers” aimed at undermining her, saying: “Angela came from a very humble background, battled all sorts of challenges along the way, and there she is proudly, and I’m proud of her, as our Deputy Prime Minister.”
Conservatives have seized on the scandal, demanding an immediate resignation. Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake told Good Morning Britain: “I think she should resign, I don’t think her position is tenable.”
He argued the case is particularly serious given Rayner’s role overseeing housing policy, saying: “The information is readily available.
If you look at the HMRC website, it clearly sets out on the first page that trust count in terms of a primary home.”
Personal Struggles Behind the Row
Rayner has said family court orders had previously prevented her from sharing full details of her living arrangements. Those restrictions, she confirmed, have now been lifted.
She explained: “It’s been quite a distressing time for my family. I have a court order that was in place around confidentiality regarding my son, my family and my divorce proceedings that happened in 2023.”
Documents show that after her divorce, her first home was placed in a trust for her disabled son, a move she says was designed to provide long-term stability.
The fallout from Angela Rayner’s stamp duty row raises awkward questions for Labour. While Starmer’s loyalty has been firm, Tory pressure and public scrutiny will not ease quickly.
The resignation of the Deputy Prime Minister is no small matter. It cuts deep into Labour’s image of integrity, just as the party hopes to project itself as ready for government.
The U.K.’s Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, resigned after admitting to underpaying stamp duty on her property in Hove. pic.twitter.com/X6kparbaay
— marinamillern (@Marmi4U) September 5, 2025
For now, Starmer is standing by his deputy. But with calls growing louder and headlines piling up, the question remains: how much political capital is he prepared to spend to defend her?
