UK homelessness minister Rushanara Ali resigns in eviction and rent price hike row

The UK's Under-Secretary for Homelessness and Rough Sleeping, Rushanara Ali, has resigned after a row erupted over claims she evicted tenants from a property she owned before increasing the rent.

In a letter to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ali said remaining in her role would be a "distraction from the ambitious work of this government."

Ali announced her resignation following intense pressure from housing charities and members of opposition parties.

She was accused of hypocrisy after it was revealed she evicted four tenants from her east London townhouse before relisting the property online with a rent increase of almost £700 (€808) a month.

The story, which was first reported on by the i Paper, claimed one tenant first received an email in November telling her the lease would not be renewed and giving her four months' notice to leave the premises.

The tenant then noticed that the property had been relisted from £3,300 (€3,861) to £4,000 (€4,680) a month.

Ali had previously been outspoken about private renters being exploited in London, claiming that the Labour party would work to "empower people to challenged unreasonable rent increases."

The controversy comes as Labour's Renter's Rights Bill, which is set to introduce new protections for tenants against such a move, is set to come into force next year.

A spokesperson for the former minister claimed on Thursday that the tenants decided to leave the property voluntarily.

“The tenants stayed for the entirety of their fixed-term contract and were informed they could stay beyond the expiration of the fixed term while the property remained on the market, but this was not taken up and they decided to leave the property,” the spokesperson said, according to The Guardian.

In her resignation letter, Ali said she "followed all relevant legal requirements."

"I believe I took my responsibilities and duties seriously, and the facts demonstrate this," she added.

Despite her claims, opposition politicians including Kevin Hollinrake, the Conservative party chair, celebrated her resignation.

"It is right that Rushanara Ali has now quit the government following our calls for her to go," he said.

"Keir Starmer promised a government of integrity but has instead presided over a government of hypocrisy and self-service."

Starmer, in a letter issued by Downing Street, thanked Ali for her work to "deliver this Government's ambitious agenda" and singled out her "efforts to repeal the Vagrancy Act."

Ali had "begun the process of delivering landmark reforms including tackling harassment and intimidation in public life and encouraging more people to engage and participate in our democracy," Starmer added.