Rayner weighs Labour leadership bid after UK tax probe clears deliberate wrongdoing

Angela Rayner is preparing for a potential challenge to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour leadership after HM Revenue & Customs cleared her of carelessness or deliberate wrongdoing in a tax probe, her spokesperson said May 14, 2026. Rayner settled £40,000, or about $54,000, in unpaid stamp duty tied to the purchase of a second home in Hove, East Sussex, and was not required to pay a penalty, the spokesperson said. HMRC declined to comment, citing taxpayer confidentiality rules. Rayner resigned in September 2025 as deputy prime minister and Labour’s deputy leader after acknowledging she had underpaid tax on the property. The issue had weighed on efforts by allies to position her as an alternative to Starmer, whose leadership has faced pressure. Rayner told UK media she wanted to “play my part” and urged Starmer to “reflect on” whether to step aside, while rejecting any deal with potential rivals including Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.