Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, stepped down on Friday after an ethics investigation found she had breached the ministerial code by underpaying property tax on a previous home purchase.

The resignation marks a major setback for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government, which is already under growing political pressure just months after taking office.

Rayner, a leading voice on the Labour Party’s left, acknowledged earlier this week that she had underpaid tax on a flat purchase and voluntarily referred the matter to the government’s independent ethics adviser for investigation.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, ethics adviser Laurie Magnus concluded that Rayner had breached the ministerial code by disregarding earlier legal advice about her tax responsibilities. He noted that she had “failed to heed the caution” provided, resulting in a violation of the code.

Rayner’s resignation represents a significant loss for Labour’s leadership. With deep support among the party’s grassroots and trade union base, she was widely viewed as a unifying figure who helped bridge the party’s ideological divisions.

Prime Minister Starmer is expected to address the situation and issue a formal statement later in the day.