Rushanara Ali has resigned as homelessness minister following reports she evicted four tenants from her rental property before increasing the monthly rent from £3,300 to £4,000.
In her resignation letter to the Prime Minister, Ms Ali said continuing in the role would be “a distraction from the ambitious work of the Government.”
The Allegations
According to the i newspaper, Ms Ali told tenants in November their lease would not be renewed as she planned to sell the East London townhouse. However, when the property failed to sell, it was re-listed for rent at £700 more per month.
The four-bedroom house near Olympic Park is currently on the market for £894,995, down from an original asking price of £914,995.
Former tenant Laura Jackson called the rent increase “extortion,” telling reporters: “It’s an absolute joke. Trying to get that much money from renters is extortion.”
Political Fallout
Opposition Response: Shadow Housing Secretary James Cleverly called the allegations “extreme hypocrisy.” Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake accused Ms Ali of “staggering hypocrisy” and demanded her resignation.
Government Defense: Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Chancellor Rachel Reeves initially defended Ms Ali, saying she appeared to have followed legal requirements.
Pressure Groups: Generation Rent CEO Ben Twomey called the allegations “shocking,” while the Renters’ Reform Coalition’s Tom Darling said it was “mind-boggling” that a homelessness minister had evicted tenants to increase rent.
The Irony
Ms Ali had previously criticized “unreasonable rent increases” and was helping to deliver Labour’s Renters Rights Bill, which will:
- Ban landlords from re-listing properties for six months after claiming they need to sell
- End fixed-term tenancies
- Require four months’ notice for evictions due to sales
Prime Minister’s Response
Keir Starmer thanked Ms Ali for her “diligent work,” including efforts to repeal the Vagrancy Act and tackle harassment in public life.
Ms Ali maintained she had “followed all relevant legal requirements” as a landlord and took her “responsibilities and duties seriously.”
