Keir Starmer reassured Rachel Reeves that no further action would be taken regarding her unintentional failure to secure a rental licence. While expressing regret that initial emails regarding the matter were not shared with him, Starmer confirmed that Reeves would not face any consequences.
Reeves had previously acknowledged breaching local housing regulations by failing to obtain a “selective” rental licence for her family property. She disclosed emails exchanged between her husband and the agency, revealing that the agency had agreed to apply for the licence. Despite taking full responsibility for the oversight, Reeves emphasized that steps were being taken to rectify the situation.
In a letter to Keir Starmer, Reeves explained that the letting agency and her husband had correspondence confirming the need for a selective licence, but the application was not pursued due to staff changes within the agency. She admitted her responsibility in securing the licence and apologized for the oversight.
Following a review of the situation, the Prime Minister stated in a letter to Reeves that he considered the failure to obtain the licence as inadvertent and accepted her apology. The Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards concurred with the Prime Minister’s decision, determining that no further action was necessary.
The independent standards adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, affirmed that Reeves had made an unintentional error and clarified that there was no evidence of bad faith in her previous statements. He addressed conflicting information presented by Reeves but found no malicious intent in her actions.
In response, Starmer expressed satisfaction that the issue could be resolved without the need for an investigation after consulting with his ethics adviser. Downing Street reiterated confidence in Reeves and confirmed her role in delivering the upcoming Budget on November 26.
