Rayner will be replaced by Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who has also been appointed the new Justice Minister. Lammy will be replaced at the helm of the Foreign Office by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Starmer's office said in a statement Friday evening.

Shabana Mahmood will be the new Home Secretary. This was the most significant personnel change under Starmer, whose Labour Party is struggling with poor poll numbers and the rising right-wing populist Reform UK.

Too little tax paid

Rayner is accused of underpaying £40,000 (€46,173.38) in taxes on a real estate transaction. In her resignation letter to Starmer, she stated that she deeply regretted her decision not to consult a tax advisor specializing in such matters."I take full responsibility for this error," she wrote. Shortly thereafter, British media reported on the cabinet reshuffle. According to reports, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Lucy Powell, was also dismissed. Scotland Secretary Ian Murray was also forced to resign.

Rayner is the eighth and most senior minister to leave Starmer's government, meaning he has lost more ministers at the start of his term, outside of cabinet reshuffles, than any other prime minister in the past 50 years.

Annual conference of right-wing populists

Because of the"news from Westminster," Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage brought forward his speech at the annual conference of his Reform Party, which is leading in the polls. He said it was clear that a cabinet full of"unqualified people" was running the country. Starmer's government was"just as bad, if not worse" than the previous Conservative government.

Rayner's resignation is a massive setback for Starmer's social democratic Labour Party. She was considered the figurehead of the party's left wing and a beacon of hope for a party currently languishing in the polls. Starmer had led the party from the left fringe under his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn, deep into the political center. Rayner was seen as a bridge to a deeply distrustful left wing of the party. The government had already come under pressure due to a faltering economy, rising living costs, and growing discontent over high immigration levels. The Rayner affair triggered another tremor.

The right-wing populist Farage is the beneficiary of the crisis

The politician's resignation, on the very first day of the Reform UK party conference, fits the picture. Farage was celebrated several times at the Birmingham Exhibition Centre. His first appearance on the podium was accompanied by pyrotechnics. The 61-year-old seems to enjoy being a hybrid of rock star and politician, who supposedly can do everything better.

The Brexit champion has been pushing the government forward for months. According to Farage, Reform was recently the strongest party in"100 polls." However, in the British first-past-the-post system, the strongest party nationwide does not necessarily become the strongest party in Parliament.

"It's happening," Farage told his supporters during his speech regarding Rayner's resignation. The party leader is playing on the fears of the British people, especially regarding migration. He has repeatedly sharply criticized or ridiculed Starmer's governing policy. Now Farage expects a general election in 2027 instead of 2029. He sees a"split" within Labour, which requires a new leader to fill the position behind Starmer.

Farage also announced the defection of former Conservative Culture Minister Nadine Dorries to his party. Reform currently holds only four of the 650 seats in Parliament, but is ahead of Labour in the polls.

Politician with high credibility among the working class

Rayner had come under considerable pressure in recent days. She had admitted to relying on advice that turned out to be incorrect regarding the amount of transfer tax on a property. She had herself requested an investigation into whether she had breached the Standards of Conduct for Cabinet Ministers. The investigation concluded that a breach had occurred.

Rayner is considered a quick-witted and talented politician who never shied away from controversy. Occasionally, she overstepped the mark, such as when she called her Tory political opponents"scum"—and was forced to apologize.

As a minister, her responsibilities included housing and local government. Her credibility within the British Labour Party was primarily due to her humble background as a teenage mother who grew up in a council flat and diligently worked her way up the ranks in a trade union. Her Northern English accent also contributed to this reputation. At 45, she is already a grandmother.

Rayner was also repeatedly the target of sexist accusations from political opponents. The tabloid"Mail on Sunday" once reported that Conservative Party MPs had complained that she had tried to irritate the then-Conservative Prime Minister with her legs in Parliament. The episode sparked a debate about sexism in British politics. Rayner received considerable support – even from female politicians in the opposing camp.