Keir Starmer reassured Rachel Reeves that no further actions will be taken regarding her unintentional oversight in obtaining a rental license. It was noted that initial emails regarding the matter were unfortunately not shared with him at first.
Reeves had previously acknowledged mistakenly failing to comply with local council housing regulations by not securing a necessary rental license for her family property. She disclosed emails exchanged between her husband and the agency, confirming that the agency had agreed to apply for the license. Reeves took full responsibility for the situation.
In a letter to Keir Starmer, Reeves explained that the letting agency and her husband had acknowledged the need for a selective license, but the application was not processed due to a staff member leaving the agency. She admitted her responsibility in ensuring the license was obtained and apologized for the oversight.
The Prime Minister, after reviewing the correspondence, considered the situation as an inadvertent failure to secure the appropriate license, which Reeves had apologized for and was actively addressing. Following advice from the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, it was determined that no further action was necessary.
The Prime Minister’s independent standards adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, stated that Reeves had made an inadvertent mistake, and there was no evidence of bad faith in her actions. He clarified that despite initial contradictory statements, recent emails revealed that Reeves and her husband were aware of the license requirement in 2024.
Sir Keir, after consulting his ethics adviser, decided not to launch a probe, concluding that the matter could be closed. Downing Street affirmed confidence in Reeves, confirming her delivery of the Budget on November 26.
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