"Rayner came under increasing pressure to resign after admitting she underpaid £40,000 ($54,000) in stamp duty on a £800,000 ($1.08 million) flat she bought in May. She told Sky News that she made a mistake after legal experts she had consulted did not accurately "take account" of her circumstances. Last week, she referred herself to the independent adviser on ministers' interests, Sir Laurie Magnus."
"He shared his findings in a letter to the prime minister, in which he said that while Rayner, who was also the housing secretary before resigning that role too, sought advice on her tax affairs, this was not "expert" advice so she "cannot be considered to have met the highest possible standards of proper conduct". Magnus said it was "deeply regrettable" that Rayner had not sought the advice but believed she had acted "with integrity and with a dedicated and exemplary commitment to public service"."
Bridget Phillipson emerged as an early frontrunner to become Labour deputy after Angela Rayner stepped down on 5 September for breaching the ministerial code. Rayner admitted underpaying £40,000 in stamp duty on an £800,000 flat bought in May and said legal experts she consulted failed to account for her circumstances. She referred herself to the independent adviser on ministers' interests, Sir Laurie Magnus. Magnus reported that the advice was not "expert" and so Rayner could not be considered to have met the highest standards, while describing her actions as taken with integrity and commitment. By 9 September six MPs had entered the contest and a LabourList poll placed Phillipson top with 39%.
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