Angela Rayner
UK Deputy Prime Minister and Labour Deputy Leader; MP for Ashton-under-Lyne since 2015.
Last refreshed: 14 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Will Rayner run for the Labour leadership if the NEC blocks Andy Burnham?
Timeline for Angela Rayner
Cleared by HMRC on 14 May with no fine over stamp duty affair; told Guardian she is ready to play her part
UK Local Elections 2026: Labour NEC clears Burnham for Makerfield runMentioned in: Josh Simons quits Makerfield for Burnham
UK Local Elections 2026Cleared by HMRC over stamp-duty settlement; reported backing Burnham but will run herself if he cannot stand
UK Local Elections 2026: 96 v 103: PLP split, no triggerWhat did HMRC find in the Angela Rayner stamp duty investigation?
Is Angela Rayner running for Labour leader?
What has Angela Rayner done as Deputy Prime Minister?
Background
Angela Rayner has served as Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government since Labour's landslide victory in July 2024. She entered politics as a trade union organiser with UNISON before winning Ashton-under-Lyne in the 2015 general election. Under Jeremy Corbyn she served as Shadow Education Secretary; under Keir Starmer she became Deputy Leader in April 2020. Her trajectory from care-leaver to Deputy Prime Minister has made her one of the Labour Party's most prominent working-class narratives. She championed the Renters' Rights Act, planning reform, and devolution deals for English mayors.
On 14 May 2026, HMRC closed its investigation into her stamp-duty affairs relating to the sale of her former council house, finding no evidence of deliberate wrongdoing. She has since publicly backed Andy Burnham for the Labour leadership and signalled she would stand herself if the National Executive Committee moves to block his candidacy . Her backing carries institutional weight given her seniority and the NEC arithmetic.