UK Deputy PM Refers Self to Tax Probe Amid Stamp Duty Row

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is under intense political pressure after admitting she underpaid stamp duty on her £800,000 flat in Hove, a revelation that has sparked calls from Conservative leaders for a tax evasion investigation and her resignation. Rayner has referred herself to the government's independent ethics adviser and HM Revenue and Customs, stating she received inaccurate legal advice that led to the underpayment. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has publicly supported Rayner, praising her transparency and expressing determination to protect her political future amid the controversy. Critics, including Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK's Nigel Farage, argue Rayner deliberately avoided the correct tax rate by removing her name from the deeds of a family home, though Rayner insists the classification of the flat as her only property was based on legal counsel. The situation has heightened scrutiny of the Labour government, which faces challenges in public trust and rising opposition in polls. Rayner's political survival now hinges on the outcome of investigations and whether the ethics adviser finds she breached ministerial standards.