Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner admitted on Wednesday that she failed to pay the correct property tax on a flat purchase, after days of mounting pressure.
The 45-year-old referred herself to the government’s ethics adviser and informed the tax authorities, blaming the mistake on “inaccurate” legal advice.
Rayner, who also serves as Housing Minister, told a Sky News podcast she even discussed resigning with her family.
“I’ve been in shock because I thought I had done everything properly,” she said. “I relied on the advice I received, and I am devastated as I have always upheld the rules and felt proud to do so.”
The controversy centres on her purchase of a flat in Hove, where she reportedly saved £40,000 in stamp duty by removing her name from the deeds of another property in her constituency, making the Hove apartment her sole home.
She admitted her lawyers failed to consider all aspects of her situation, including a trust fund set up for her disabled son, which meant she did not pay the correct duty at the time.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended his deputy in parliament, saying he was “proud to sit alongside” her, noting that she had gone “over and above” in explaining her circumstances.
Rayner, who left school without qualifications after becoming pregnant at 16, is a prominent figure on Labour’s left wing and often tipped as a future leader.