Britain’s Minister for Homelessness, Rushanara Ali, has resigned from her position after facing criticism for significantly increasing the rent on a property she owns.
Gatekeepers News reports that Ali, Under-Secretary of State for Homelessness in the Labour government, submitted her resignation to Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday.
According to reports, Ali gave four tenants four months’ notice to vacate a London house she owned, only to re-lease it a few weeks later with a rent hike of over £700 ($940) per month. This move sparked outrage among homelessness campaign groups and opposition lawmakers, who called for her resignation.
In her resignation letter, Ali stated, “It is with a heavy heart that I offer you my resignation as a minister.”
She emphasised that she had followed all relevant legal requirements and took her responsibilities seriously, but acknowledged that continuing in her role would be a distraction from the government’s work.
“Further to recent reporting, I wanted to make it clear that at all times I have followed all relevant legal requirements. I believe I took my responsibilities and duties seriously, and the facts demonstrate this,” Ali said in her letter, released by the prime minister’s office.
“However, it is clear that continuing in my role will be a distraction from the ambitious work of the government,” she added.
Starmer, in response, thanked Ali for her “diligent work” at the housing ministry, adding: “Your efforts to put in measures to repeal the Vagrancy Act will have a significant impact.”
