Keir Starmer has assured Rachel Reeves that no further action will be taken regarding her oversight in obtaining a rental license, despite initial lack of communication on the matter. Reeves had previously acknowledged a mistake in not securing a necessary rental license for her family property, which breached local housing regulations.
Reeves disclosed emails exchanged between her husband and the agency, confirming an agreement for the agency to apply for the license. She took full responsibility for the oversight and expressed regret for the situation. In a letter to Starmer, Reeves stated that the letting agency had agreed to apply for the license on their behalf but failed to follow through due to staff changes.
Following a review of the situation, the Prime Minister concluded that it was an inadvertent failure to obtain the appropriate license, for which Reeves had apologized and was addressing. The Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards concurred, stating that no further action was necessary.
Sir Laurie Magnus, the Prime Minister’s independent standards adviser, found no evidence of ill intent in Reeves’s statements regarding her awareness of the license requirement. Magnus noted that while there was confusion due to conflicting information, there was no indication of deliberate wrongdoing.
In response, Starmer indicated that the issue could be resolved, as his ethics adviser advised against launching an investigation. Downing Street reaffirmed confidence in Reeves and confirmed her role in delivering the upcoming Budget on November 26.