Who is Angela Rayner, the UK deputy PM who quit over a tax scandal?

Angela Rayner’s resignation as Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party has shaken Sir Keir Starmer’s government, just months after its landslide election win. The 45-year-old, once hailed as Labour’s most authentic and relatable voice, stepped down after admitting she underpaid £40,000 in stamp duty when buying a second home in Hove earlier this year.

Her fall is dramatic: Rayner was not only one of Labour’s most recognisable figures, but also a politician whose personal journey — from a teenage mother on a Stockport council estate to the second-highest office in government — embodied the party’s promise to represent ordinary people.

A meteoric rise from council estate to cabinet

Born Angela Bowen in 1980, Rayner grew up in poverty, raised largely by her grandmother while her mother battled bipolar disorder. She left school at 16 with no qualifications after becoming pregnant with her first son, Ryan. Rayner has often said motherhood at such a young age “saved” her from a darker path.

She trained as a carer for older people and soon rose as a trade union activist with Unison, eventually becoming its most senior official in northwest England. Her unapologetically working-class roots, combined with a blunt and fiery speaking style, earned her respect in Labour’s grassroots movement.

Elected MP for Ashton-under-Lyne in 2015, Rayner climbed quickly through the party ranks. By 2020, she had been elected Deputy Leader of Labour, and when Starmer swept into Downing Street in 2024, she was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary.

Political force — and lightning rod for controversy

Rayner cultivated a reputation as a fearless operator, often clashing with Conservative ministers across the dispatch box. She once branded the Tories “scum” — a remark she later apologised for but which cemented her reputation as a straight-talker unafraid to shock.

Her rise was not without scandal. She faced scrutiny over her use of donor-provided gifts and accommodation, her right-to-buy purchase of a council house, and her personal life, including becoming a grandmother at 37 — a fact she joked about by dubbing herself “Grangela.”

But the stamp duty revelations proved more damaging. Rayner insisted she was misadvised when she paid just £30,000 instead of the £70,000 required. While some tax experts conceded the UK’s property tax system is notoriously complex, critics accused her of hypocrisy given her record of attacking Conservative politicians for similar failings.

Why her resignation matters

Rayner’s exit leaves Labour without one of its strongest campaigners and most recognisable public figures. Her gritty backstory and unpolished style contrasted sharply with Starmer’s lawyerly reserve, helping Labour connect with younger and working-class voters.

Her resignation also comes at a perilous time for Starmer. Labour is struggling to deliver on ambitious pledges — such as building 1.5 million homes — while the right-wing Reform UK party has surged to the top of opinion polls. The departure of his deputy deepens the perception of a government in disarray.

Starmer, in a letter to Rayner, praised her as a “trusted colleague and true friend,” but privately some analysts believe he may be relieved at the departure of a potential leadership rival.

Rayner’s legacy — and what comes next

For many, Rayner remains a symbol of how politics can transform lives. Her journey from teenage mum to Deputy Prime Minister showcased Labour’s ideals of opportunity and resilience. In her resignation letter, she wrote:

“For a teenage mum from a council estate in Stockport to serve at the highest level of government has been the honour of my life. I’ve always known politics changes lives because it changed mine.”

Whether her career is over is less clear. Supporters believe she could stage a comeback, much like other politicians who have rebounded after scandal. But for now, her departure leaves a hole in Starmer’s government — and adds to Labour’s mounting challenges.