Keir Starmer has informed Rachel Reeves that there will be no further repercussions for her unintentional oversight in failing to obtain a rental license. He expressed disappointment that the emails regarding this matter were not initially shared with him.
Reeves had previously acknowledged breaching local housing regulations by neglecting to secure a “selective” rental license for her family property. She recently disclosed emails exchanged between her husband and the agency, indicating that the agency had agreed to apply for the license. Despite this, Reeves took full responsibility for the situation.
In a letter to Keir Starmer, Reeves explained that the letting agency and her husband had correspondence confirming the discussion of the license requirement back in July 2024. However, the agency did not proceed with the application due to staff changes. Reeves acknowledged her responsibility for obtaining the license and expressed regret for not bringing this information to Starmer’s attention sooner.
The Prime Minister, after reviewing the situation, deemed it an inadvertent failure to secure the appropriate license, which Reeves has apologized for and is now addressing. Following advice from the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, the Prime Minister decided against taking any further action.
Sir Laurie Magnus, the independent standards adviser, stated that Reeves made an unfortunate mistake but found no evidence of malicious intent in her contradictory statements about her awareness of the license requirement. He highlighted that emails revealed Reeves’s husband was informed about the license need in 2024 but did not recall the conversation due to a busy period.
Keir Starmer, after consulting his ethics adviser, concluded that the issue could be resolved without initiating a probe. Downing Street affirmed confidence in Reeves and assured that she would present the Budget on November 26.