Rayner’s departure is deeply damaging to prime minister who had initially stood by her
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Angela Rayner has stood down from the government after the prime minister’s ethics adviser found she had breached the ministerial code over her underpayment of stamp duty on her £800,000 seaside flat.
In a huge blow to Keir Starmer, Sir Laurie Magnus found that Rayner had “acted with integrity and with a dedicated and exemplary commitment to public service” but concluded she had breached the ministerial code over her tax affairs.
Rayner’s departure is deeply damaging for the prime minister, who initially stood firmly by her, and his authority has been badly bruised as a result. She has quit as his deputy and housing secretary, and as deputy leader of the Labour party.
