Rayner resigns over tax row

Under-pressure prime minister forced into cabinet reshuffle

- DAVID MADDOX MILLIE COOKE

Sir Keir Starmer has been forced to conduct a major reshuffle of his top team after Angela Rayner sensationally quit as both housing secretary and deputy prime minister, after admitting she failed to pay £40,000 in tax when purchasing a property.

The resignation comes as a hammer blow to the prime minister and piles further pressure on his government, which is significantly lagging behind Reform UK in the polls and has faced mounting criticism for not achieving enough in its first year in power.

It followed 48 hours of Ms Rayner trying to hold onto her job before she was told the game was up on Thursday night, ahead of the publication of a report by ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus.

With Nigel Farage opening his Reform UK conference in Birmingham by claiming that his party had “unstoppable momentum” to win the next general election, Sir Keir acted decisively to try to reshape his top team - with Rachel Reeves staying on as chancellor.

David Lammy will replace Ms Rayner as the deputy prime minister, moving from his role as the foreign secretary. He will also take up the role of justice secretary.