Rushanara Ali, the UK’s first MP of Bangladeshi origin and Minister for Homelessness, has resigned following a public outcry over allegations she evicted tenants and raised the rent on her personal property by £700 overnight.
The controversy erupted after The i Paper reported that Ali had issued early eviction notices to four tenants in her East London home—four months before their leases expired—and then re-listed the property with a significantly higher rent. Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake branded the move “unbelievable hypocrisy,” citing her ministerial role.
Ali’s spokesperson insisted she had “always complied with relevant legal obligations,” a point she repeated in her resignation letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, where she said she was stepping down with a “heavy heart” to avoid distracting from “the government’s ambitious work.”
This is not the first time Ali has faced scrutiny. In October 2024, she relinquished her building safety responsibilities after Grenfell Tower fire survivors accused her of accepting hospitality from construction firms criticized in the inquiry. Her career has also been marked by years of harassment, including death threats, and political setbacks—most recently, a reduced majority after abstaining on a Gaza ceasefire vote.
Starmer thanked Ali for her “dedicated” work, praising her role in repealing the Vagrancy Act, and expressed confidence she would continue serving her Bethnal Green and Stepney constituents from the backbenches.
Ali’s exit follows the recent resignation of fellow British-Bangladeshi MP Tulip Siddiq, adding to mounting public scrutiny over the private affairs of ministers in government.
