Newslinks Friday 31st October 2025

Reeves house gaffe haunts Starmer

“Rachel Reeves faces accusations of a “cover-up” after wrongly claiming she and her husband did not know that they needed a licence to rent out their home. The Chancellor is facing a potential bill of £38,400 after she failed to obtain a licence from Southwark council for a property she rents out in Dulwich, south-east London. In a letter to the Prime Minister on Wednesday evening, she wrote: “We were not aware that a licence was necessary.” But on Thursday evening, emails released by Downing Street showed detailed discussions about a licence between her husband Nicholas Joicey, a senior civil servant, and estate agent Harvey Wheeler. On Thursday night, the owner of the agency apologised for an “oversight” and said an employee who had offered to apply for a licence had resigned before the tenancy began and the company did not pick it up. Sir Keir Starmer has now told Ms Reeves she faces no further action after consulting Sir Laurie Magnus, the independent adviser on ministerial interests. Sir Laurie said it was “regrettable” that Ms Reeves initially said she was unaware she needed to obtain the licence but had not acted in bad faith when making that claim. In his letter to Ms Reeves, Sir Keir told her it would have been better if she and her husband had done a “full trawl” of their emails with the estate agency before she issued her first statement. Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, said: “This whole thing stinks. The Prime Minister needs to stop trying to cover this up, order a full investigation and, if Reeves has broken the law, grow a backbone and sack her.” – Daily Telegraph

• Rachel Reeves misled Starmer about licence for property rental – The Times
• The email trail that blows Rachel Reeves’s defence to pieces after she admitted she knew she needed a rental licence – Daily Mail
• Reeves under pressure after releasing contradictory statements on illegal house rental – Guido Fawkes
• Letting agent apologises to Reeves for not applying for rental licence on her behalf – BBC News
• Reeves’ tenants could receive major payout after chancellor’s rent rule breach – The Independent
• House price growth slows as Reeves considers mansion tax – Daily Telegraph
• Tories call for Starmer to sack Rachel Reeves – CityAM

Comment:

• Rachel Reeves has proved how hard it is to be a law-abiding landlord – The Secret Landlord, Daily Telegraph
• Keir Starmer will do everything he can to save this terrible Chancellor. To lose her would almost certainly mark the end for him, too – Stephen Glover, Daily Mail

> Yesterday:

Tories immigration policy under spotlight

“​​Kemi Badenoch said that the rising Tory star Katie Lam “imprecisely” explained Conservative immigration policy, but admitted that the position needed to be more “coherent”. The Conservative leader denied that the party would deport migrants who have already been granted indefinite leave to remain (ILR), which allows foreign nationals to live, work and study in the UK permanently. She insisted that the party “doesn’t believe in making things retrospective”. Her comments came after confusion over whether the party’s policy to remove ILR from migrants if they do not contribute to the economy and the public finances would apply retrospectively to migrants who arrived in the UK before 2021. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, tabled draft legislation in May that would revoke ILR from individuals who do not earn above £38,700 or who have claimed benefits. At present, migrants can apply for ILR after living in the UK for five years continuously. The policy would have applied to anyone granted ILR who had not gone on to gain British citizenship. However, Badenoch has been forced to soften the stance after a backlash from moderate Conservative MPs who had complained that the policy went too far.” – The Times

• Tories will not deport legally settled people, Badenoch clarifies – The Guardian
• Shadow minister spoke ‘imprecisely’ about Tory settled status plans – Badenoch – The Independent
• Badenoch Intervenes on Lam Retroactive Deportation Policy – Guido Fawkes

Comment:

• I’ve seen Britain’s future if it fails to end mass migration – Simon Hankinson, Daily Telegraph
• How many more crimes by migrants will it take before Starmer does whatever is necessary to end this horror show? – Julia Hartley-Brewer, The Sun

> Yesterday:

Andrew no longer Prince

“Andrew will no longer be known as a prince and is to leave Royal Lodge, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.  In a bombshell statement released on Thursday night, Buckingham Palace said he will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor – with immediate effect. It comes as the palace said the ‘censures are deemed necessary’ amid the ongoing  scandal over Jeffrey Epstein, whom Andrew lied about cutting ties with. ‘His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew,’ the statement said. ‘Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence.  Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.’ … Kemi Badenoch said it must have been ‘very difficult’ for the King to take the steps against his sibling. However, she maintained it was right for the public not to tolerate sexual abuse allegations. Speaking on an LBC Radio phone-in, she said: ‘I’ve been following this story more about a family. It’s a very sad state of affairs. I think that the King has clearly felt that this is the right decision for the royal family. It must have been a very difficult thing for him to have done. I mean, having to do that to your own brother. But the standards and expectations in society now are very high. People expect to see the very highest levels of integrity.” – Daily Mail

• Andrew stripped of prince title and will leave Royal Lodge – The Times
• Could Prince Andrew ever be prosecuted over his links to Jeffrey Epstein? – The Independent
• ‘It’s not enough’ to strip Andrew of title, says Virginia Giuffre’s family – Daily Telegraph
• Mountbatten Windsor: The Anglo-German history behind Andrew’s new name – The Independent
• Scrubbing of Andrew’s titles is a humiliation for the history books – Daily Telegraph
• Who pays for Andrew now, and where will Fergie go? – The i

Comment:

• The King’s actions against the former Prince Andrew are just and proper – Alexander Larman, Daily Telegraph
• Sensation as the King strips Andrew of his Prince title and forces him out of Royal Lodge as punishment for Epstein scandal: Mr Mountbatten Windsor is sent to live in Norfolk in final humiliation – Rebecca English, Daily Mail
• The King’s bombshell decision on Andrew is still a risk – Jennie Bond, The i
• It’s time to stop tearing Fergie down for her poor choices. She is flawed, she is human… & she’s paid dearly for both – Robert Jobson, The Sun

News in brief:

• Why is the army’s top brass waging war on private members’ clubs? – Eliot Wilson, The Spectator
• How to rescue the grooming gangs inquiry – Richard Scorer, The Critic
• Would Adam Smith trust ChatGPT? – Brendan McCord, CapX
• Labour’s evidence-free approach to policy is baffling – James Price, CityAM