How did we get here?published at 16:36 GMT
16:36 GMT
Image source, Rightmove
On Wednesday, Rachel Reeves admitted she did not obtain a licence needed to rent out her south London home.
After Labour won the general election in July 2024, Reeves’ family home was put up for rent for £3,200 a month.
It is in part of Southwark where the council requires private landlords to hold a selective licence, which cost £945.
In a letter to Keir Starmer, the chancellor apologised for her “inadvertent” error in not applying for the licence.
The issue came to her attention, she says, when the Daily Mail approached her for a comment.
“This was an inadvertent mistake,” she wrote in her letter. “As soon as it was brought to my attention, we took immediate action and have applied for the licence.”
Starmer dismissed calls for an investigation after consulting his independent ethics adviser.
Image source, Reuters