Rachel Reeves, an unfortunate Facebook post and Tory hypocrisy

Rachel Reeves is the latest member of Keir Starmer’s government to find herself in hot water over housing – this time after apparently failing to obtain a licence to rent out her family home in South London after she moved into 11 Downing Street.

The chancellor’s four-bedroom property in swanky Dulwich has been rented out through a letting agency for £3,200 a month since last year – but Southwark Council, which covers the area, requires landlords to obtain a “selective” licence if their property is in certain areas.

Reeves has let it be known she was unaware of the requirements, with a spokeswoman saying: “She had not been made aware of the licensing requirement but as soon as it was brought to her attention she took immediate action and has applied for the licence.” And Sarah Jones, the policing minister, who was given the hospital pass of doing the broadcast round this morning, insisted the chancellor “wasn’t aware” of licensing rules that only exist in “some boroughs”.

Alas for Reeves, her most recent post on Facebook – just 10 days ago – was to praise Leeds Council in her constituency for its decision “to expand their selective landlord licencing policy to include the Armley area”.

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“While many private landlords operate in the right way, we know that lots of private tenants in Armley face problems with poorly maintained housing,” she wrote. “This scheme means private landlords in the area will be required by law to obtain a licence for any residential property they are seeking to let and must meet certain standards to ensure the property is safe and in a decent state of repair.”

As one commenter on the post said: “If only Southwark had a similar scheme whereby owners need a licence to let out their properties.”

The Conservatives’ demands for Reeves’ head, meanwhile, have been led by Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, who has posted on X that “Southwark Council must prosecute her for breaking the law & Starmer should sack her”. Reeves, of course, has yet to be found guilty of anything. When, in 2020, a Cabinet Office inquiry found evidence the then home secretary had breached the ministerial code following allegations of bullying in the three government departments in which she had served, Patel was rather less bothered about action being taken.

That home secretary, of course, was Patel herself, who was cleared by boss Boris Johnson and stayed put. Oh for the days of proper ministerial scandals!