Britain’s deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, resigned on Friday after an inquiry found she breached the ministerial code by underpaying stamp duty on a property.

Rayner, also housing minister and deputy Labour leader, admitted earlier this week that she had underpaid tax and referred herself to the government’s ethics adviser. The adviser, Laurie Magnus, concluded she failed to follow legal advice, breaching ministerial rules.

In her resignation letter, Rayner said she took “full responsibility” and regretted not seeking specialist advice, citing the toll on her family. Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed sadness at her departure but affirmed she would remain a key party figure.

The 45-year-old, long seen as a potential future Labour leader, had been accused of saving £40,000 by removing her name from another property’s deeds. While Magnus praised her integrity and public service, he upheld that the code was breached.

Rayner’s straight-talking style and working-class roots have made her popular with Labour’s grassroots, though she has often been a target for Conservative critics and right-wing media.