Downing Street Refuses To Say If Rachel Reeves Broke The Ministerial Code Over Renting Her Home Out

Posted on 30/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Keir Starmer’s spokesperson repeatedly refused to say if Rachel Reeves had broken the ministerial code after she admitted to breaking property rules.

Following reporting from the Daily Mail, the chancellor wrote to the prime minister on Wednesday night confirming she had failed to obtain a “selective” rental licence for her family home in London.

She apologised for the “inadvertent error”, and claimed she had immediately applied for a licence – actions which Starmer declared were a “sufficient resolution” to such errors, according to the Ministerial Code.

Speaking just a month after his deputy prime minister Angela Rayner had to resign after not paying enough stamp duty, Starmer said he was happy the “matter can be drawn to a close” following a consultation with his ethics adviser who decided there was no need for an investigation.

But No.10 is facing intense questioning over the extent to which the mistake was probed by the PM and his ethics adviser.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday morning, a spokesperson for Starmer repeatedly refused to say if the standards rules had been breached.

He also refused to say what evidence independent watchdog Sir Laurie Magnus had looked at before coming to his conclusion that there was no need for a further probe last night.

The prime minister’s spokesperson was also asked if the prime minister, a former director of public prosecutions, thought ignorance of the law was a defence. He said Starmer did not.

Asked why Reeves’ response was therefore acceptable to the PM, he said: “Regrettably she was not aware the licence was necessary, did not obtain the licence before renting the property out.

“She’s explained it was inadvertent mistake and as soon as it was brought to her attention, she took immediate action and applied for the licence… the Ministerial Code makes clear that in certain circumstances, in consultation with the independent adviser, an apology is a sufficient resolution.”

No.10 also rejected suggestions Reeves had got away “scot-free” after a “stitch-up” from the government meant to avoid spooking the bond markets.

He replied: “I don’t accept that framing at all.”

The spokesperson was also asked if the PM stood by his 2022 statement that “lawbreakers cannot be lawmakers” – made at the height of the partygate scandal against Boris Johnson.

Starmer’s representative said: “Yes.”

Leader of the opposition Kemi Badenoch has called for an investigation into Reeves’ conduct.

She said: “She is the chancellor. She needs to be on top of her paperwork. She was aware of this legislation. I think there should be an investigation.”

The revelation comes just a month before Reeves is set to unveil her Budget, where there are fears Labour will breach their manifesto pledges not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT in order to fill the fiscal black hole in the public finances.

Starmer Refuses To Say If Labour Will Honour Promises Not To Increase Taxes For ‘Working People’

Posted on 29/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Keir Starmer has refused to say if Labour will honour past promises not to increase taxes on working people during prime minister’s questions today.

Leader of the opposition Kemi Badenoch repeatedly asked the PM if, in the government’s Budget next month, Labour would be hiking up taxes.

It comes amid widespread speculation that the government will struggle to fill the growing black hole in the government finances.

But Labour promised not to increase income tax, national insurance, or VAT in their election manifesto – so Badenoch asked: “Does the prime minister still stand by his promises?”

“I’m glad the leader of the opposition is finally talking about the economy,” he said, before claiming retail sales are higher than expected, inflation is lower than expected, growth has been upgraded this year and the UK stock market is at “an all time high”.

He said the government would “lay out its plans” on November 26, when chancellor Rachel Reeves unveils the Budget.

He promised the government will “build a stronger economy” and cut “NHS waiting lists” and deliver a better future for our country”.

Starmer also used PMQs to attack the Tories’ own record on the economy.

He said: “We all know that austerity damaged the economy on their watch.

“The botched Brexit deal damaged the economy on their watch.

“Liz Truss’s mini-Budget damaged the economy on their watch.

“So we will take no lectures or advice from them on the economy.

“They won’t be trusted on the economy for generations to come.”

He added that the upcoming Budget will include no return to austerity.

Fresh Reform UK Row As MP Warns Against ‘LGBT-Supporting’ Political Alliances

Posted on 28/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Nigel Farage is facing a fresh headache after it emerged a Reform UK MP warned voters the UK could soon be led by an “appalling Hamas-supporting, LGBT-supporting nationalist party”.

Kruger, who dramatically left his position as a Tory frontbencher to join Reform last month, can be seen in a clip shared on the party’s YouTube page comparing supporting LGBT+ rights to backing Palestinian militants.

Speaking during a membership drive at the weekend, Kruger said his party was “up against Lib Dems, Labour, Greens, we’ve got the nationalists in Wales and Scotland, there’s Corbyn”.

In comments first obtained by the Mirror, he said: “You know that shows how bad things are in our country.

“What I worry about is they’re going to get together after the next election and have some sort of appalling, you know, Hamas-supporting, LGBT-supporting, you know, nationalist party against the United Kingdom trying to get us back into the EU.

“All the things that the British people have rejected time and again. The only way to stop that is Reform. And so that means, you know, including if you’re a former. Conservative, I’m afraid to say, you’ve got to join us.”

Kruger himself dodged a question on this issue at a pre-arranged Reform press conference today where he was outlining his party’s plans to reform Whitehall.

When asked for a response to his comments from the weekend, he said the public should vote for Reform if they want a “sensible moderate government”.

He told the Mirror: “You do have a kaleidoscope of people who proclaim their belief in gay rights on one hand and then their support for Hamas on the other, or at least for kind of Islamism in the Middle East. So I mean, I’m pointing out the incredible incoherence of the coalition that has ranged against us.

“I dread to think what would happen if there was some sort of deal of the election which ended up with that rabble in power. So that is the concern I have.”

Polly Billington, Labour MP for East Thanet, quickly hit out at Kruger’s “dinosaur” comments this morning.

She said: “Danny Kruger’s remarks are outdated and out of line. Stirring up division is Reform’s stock in trade and now LGBT people are being targeted.

“His words have direct consequences in our communities and should be condemned by Nigel Farage.

“It’s astounding that Kruger made these comments on the same day his colleague Sarah Pochin embarked on a racist rant about black and Asian people on TV.

“Our British values of decency, compassion and respect are under threat from Reform. That is what we’re up against – the politics of division and grievance that would take our great country to a very dark place.

“If Nigel Farage had any backbone, he’d stand up to these dinosaurs and take action. Failure to do so is an endorsement of these divisive views.”

Reform UK has been approaching for a response to Kruger’s comments.

The Mirror’s report comes a day after Farage admitted he was “angry” over another row caused by one of his five MPs.

Sarah Pochin triggered plenty of backlash when she complained about TV adverts being “full of black people, full of Asian people” at the weekend, although she later apologised.

Farage said in a press conference on Monday that these were “ugly” remarks and admitted he is “unhappy” with Pochin for these comments, but refused to punish her by withdrawing the whip.

He said: “If I thought the intention behind it was racist, I would have taken a lot more action that I have done today – and that is because I don’t.”

Kruger also responded to the backlash around Pochin, telling Times Radio on Tuesday morning: “I think that’s a really regrettable thing that she said, because it’s so offensive to suggest that seeing black and Asian faces made her mad.

“Obviously, she was trying to say something different. There’s no excuse, but it is the truth that she was talking about over-representation of minorities.”

Jeremy Corbyn Will Be Taking To The Stage With A Very Unexpected Role This Winter

Posted on 28/10/2025 by Boris Clair

The independent MP for Islington North, who is in the process of setting up a new party currently known only as Your Party and setting up its first ever conference next month, will also swap the Commons for the stage in honour of the festive season.

He will perform as the ‘Wizard of Oz-lington’ in a drag production of Wicked Witches, making an onscreen cameo in the north London play.

Corbyn’s spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “The Pleasance has been at the heart of our community for 30 years, and local theatre like this deserves our support.

“Panto brings people together – it’s fun, inclusive and a brilliant celebration of creativity. It’s a pleasure to conjure up a little festive magic with the Pleasance in their 30th year.

“Local theatre is where the real wizardry happens – sparking imagination and spreading a bit of joy.”

Head of the theatre at Pleasance London, Ellie Simpson, said: “Jeremy’s as much a part of Islington as the Yellow Brick Road is of Oz – so who better to play the Wizard of Oz-lington?

“His cameo adds a touch of local sparkle to our wickedly funny festive panto, which marks Pleasance’s first in over 20 years and raises the curtain on our 30th anniversary celebrations.”

Meanwhile the theatre said: “This Wicked-inspired pantomime Wicked Witches – A Popular Panto! will whisk audiences down the Yellow Brick (Caledonian) Road for a gloriously camp Christmas spectacular, packed with cabaret, pop parody and plenty of laughs for those young and old alike. Expect soaring vocals, sparkly spells, and more sass than you can shake a wand at.”

Tensions Between US And Russia Deepen As Trump’s Treasury Secretary Hits Out At ‘Propagandist’ Envoy

Posted on 27/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Donald Trump’s Treasury secretary Scott Bessent hit out at the Kremlin after a Russian envoy tried to dismiss the impact of the US’s new sanctions on Moscow.

The White House implemented fresh sanctions against Russia for the first time last week, punishing its oil companies in the hope of pushing Vladimir Putin to end his war in Ukraine.

In a move much welcomed by his European allies who have also increased economic pressure on Moscow, Trump froze all US-based assets of Russia’s two largest oil firms – Rosneft and Lukoil.

The US also made it possible for secondary penalties on foreign institutions which could conduct transactions with entities on the blacklist.

It was a surprising move from the US president, considering he has often expressed sympathy for the Russian invasion of Ukraine even while calling for peace in the region.

US plans for a high-level summit with Putin in Budapest also broke down recently, and Trump has insisted he would not meet with Putin unless there was a clear plan for peace.

But Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev – who plays a key part in the diplomacy between Moscow and Washington – told the US media that the new sanctions would not have much of an effect.

The head of the Russian Direct Investment Funds insisted: “No pressure works on Russia.”

So Bessent furiously hit back in an interview with CBS News on Sunday, saying: “Are you really going to publish what a Russian propagandist says?

“I mean, what else is he going to say?

“The Russian economy is a wartime economy. Growth is virtually zero.”

Bessent claimed the US can make a “substantial debt” in Putin’s profits and therefore impact his war machine.

When the new penalties were first announced last week, the Russian president described them as an “unfriendly act” – and said Moscow would not give in to economic pressure.

Russia continued to launch fresh missile and drone attacks across Ukraine over the weekend, too.

Putin claimed to have sucessfully tested a new nuclear-powered cruise missile on Sunday, too.

Meanwhile, news agency Reuters has recently reported that the Trump administration is already thinking about further sanctions unless Putin engages with peace talks.

The US president said Putin should focus on ending the war in Ukraine instead of testing a new nuclear-powered missile.

He said: “They know we have a nuclear submarine, the greatest in the world, right off their shores, so I mean, it doesn’t have to go 8,000 miles.”

Trump added: “I don’t think it’s an appropriate thing for Putin to be saying, either, by the way: You ought to get the war ended, the war that should have taken one week is now in … its fourth year, that’s what you ought to do instead of testing missiles.”

Trump Reportedly Wants Name Of New Ballroom To Honour His Favourite Person In The World

Posted on 25/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Donald Trump has reportedly picked a name for the new ballroom that will replace the East Wing of the White House, and it’s a true measure of his humility.

Katherine Faulders, ABC’s managing editor in Washington, posted on social media Friday that “Trump will likely name the new $300 million ballroom after himself,” and cited senior administration officials as her source.

“Already, officials are referring to it as “The President Donald J. Trump Ballroom” and that name will likely stick,” she added.

When reached for comment, White House Spokesman Davis Ingle told HuffPost: “Any announcement made on the name of the ballroom will come directly from President Trump himself, and not through anonymous and unnamed sources.”

Some people thought another person near and dear to Trump would be a better name on the ballroom.

Others speculated on what might happen to the ballroom after Trump leaves office.

‘A Breach Of Human Decency’: James O’Brien Savages Tory Frontbencher’s Immigration Comments

Posted on 20/10/2025 by Boris Clair

LBC presenter James O’Brien accused a senior Tory of a “breach of the tenets of human decency” after she said some immigrants living legally in the UK should be deported.

Shadow Home Office minister Katie Lam told The Times that would leave the UK more “culturally coherent”.

Lam said: “Everybody who’s in this country illegally I think needs to go home.

“There are also a large number of people in this country who came here legally, but in effect shouldn’t have been able to do so. It’s not the fault of the individuals who came here, they just shouldn’t have been able to do so. They will also need to go home.

“What that will leave is a mostly but not entirely culturally coherent group of people.”

In a monologue on his LBC show on Monday, O’Brien said: “This is an extraordinary breach of what I would describe as the basic tenets of common decency, and it speaks to something that has been happening over the course of the last 12 months, that we are all a little bit guilty of not registering.

“So people like me, and by association you, are not talking about it because it makes us feel so gross and so grim. People sitting next to Katie Lam in the House of Commons, or indeed sitting above her in the hierarchy of the Conservative Party, are not talking about it because they’re frightened of upsetting all the potential voters who agree with her.

“It puts Nigel Farage in a very strange position in that he could reasonably argue that he is no more racist in his pronouncements, or no more far right wing in his attitudes, than senior members of the Conservative Party.”

He added: “How is this happening? How are we becoming as a country where senior mainstream politicians can call for people who have every right to be here to be deported?”

Reform UK have said they would scrap indefinite leave to remain status for immigrants, meaning some who have lived legally in the UK for decades could be deported.

Tory MP Calls For Parliament To Be Abolished In Angry Rant Over China Spy Row

Posted on 16/10/2025 by Boris Clair

A Tory MP has called for parliament to be abolished over the government’s handling of the China spy row.

Tom Tugendhat, a former security minister, said the UK “clearly, this isn’t a democracy any more” because it is being run by “bureaucrats” rather than politicians.

He hit out after the government defended its actions following the collapse of a trial involving two British men accused of spying for China.

Critics have accused the government of deliberately sabotaging the case to avoid upsetting China as ministers try to improve relations with Beijing.

But Keir Starmer has insisted the decision to drop the case was taken independently by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

The prime minister took the unprecedented move on Wednesday of publishing witness statements provided to the CPS by Matthew Collins, the deputy national security adviser.

In them, he repeatedly described China’s espionage activities make it a “threat” to the UK, but also acknowledged that the government wants to maintain economic ties with Beijing.

In the Commons on Thursday, Cabinet Office minister Chris Ward said: “The prime minister will not, and no government would, interfere with the CPS. It’s entirely their decision to charge.”

He also insisted that the contents of Collins’ evidence had not been influenced by any minister or other government adviser.

But Tugendhat – who had earlier been reprimanded by Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle for calling the minister “a pathetic little man” – said it was not good enough for the government to say there was nothing they could do.

He said: “Given that the government’s position is that the bureaucrats run the government, the bureaucrats are in charge of everything, may we dissolve this House and save the taxpayer the money? Because clearly, this isn’t a democracy any more.”

Hoyle replied: “I’m sure [Mr Tugendhat] doesn’t want to give up his seat quite so quickly.”

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Official Secrets Act Urgent Question

Point of Order:

Tom Tugendhat

Calls for dissolution of Parliament seeing as the Civil Servants are running the country.

I think many of us could get behind that request… pic.twitter.com/yXwSEYRkyj

— Baa Ram Ewe 🏴🐑🐷🦃🚜 (@ShepherdWales) October 16, 2025

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Official Secrets Act Urgent Question

Point of Order:

Tom Tugendhat

Calls for dissolution of Parliament seeing as the Civil Servants are running the country.

I think many of us could get behind that request… pic.twitter.com/yXwSEYRkyj

— Baa Ram Ewe 🏴🐑🐷🦃🚜 (@ShepherdWales) October 16, 2025

‘She’s Not A Lawyer Or A Leader’: Starmer Roasts Badenoch Over China Spy Row

Posted on 15/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Keir Starmer roasted Kemi Badenoch after she accused the government of sabotaging the case of two British men accused of spying for China to avoid upsetting Beijing.

The prime minister has been under pressure to explain the role Downing Street played after the case against Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry collapsed last month.

They were charged with collecting and communicating information which could be “useful to an enemy” between December 2021 and February 2023. They denied all the accusations.

Stephen Parkinson, the Director of Public Prosecutions, said his team had tried “over many months” to get the evidence it needed against the two alleged spies, but it had not been forthcoming from the government.

Starmer has insisted that because the alleged offences took place under the previous Conservative government, that administration’s refusal to describe China as a “threat” meant his hands were tied.

At prime minister’s questions, the PM announced that the government will publish all of the evidence it submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Badenoch said Starmer had been “dragged” to this position and added: “It is simply unbelievable that he is trying to say the last government did not classify China as a threat.”

The Tory leader said Cash and Berry “were charged under a Conservative government – they were let off under Labour”.

She added: “What is the point of us having a lawyer rather than a leader as prime minister when he can’t even get the law right on a matter of national security?”

But Starmer hit back: “She’s clearly not a lawyer or a leader. The problem for her is that I do actually know the law, I know what’s got to be proven.”

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🚨 NEW: Kemi Badenoch asks Keir Starmer \"what’s the point of us having a lawyer rather than a leader\" as PM if he \"can’t get the law right\" on national security

Starmer: \"She’s clearly not a lawyer or a leader. The problem for her is I do actually understand the law\" #PMQs pic.twitter.com/cRiu73szqs

— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) October 15, 2025

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The problem for her is I do actually understand the law\" #PMQs pic.twitter.com/cRiu73szqs— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) October 15, 2025\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":730,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/amplify_video_thumb/1978422063619563520/img/en3VgWDrukw78DLK.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":1318,"title":"Politics UK on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/PolitlcsUK/status/1978422842862477691","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isMobile":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"68ef82cfe4b03d2464051cd7","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/shes-not-a-lawyer-or-a-leader-starmer-roasts-badenoch-over-china-spy-row_uk_68ef82cfe4b03d2464051cd7","entryTagsList":"keir-starmer,china,kemi-badenoch,@ai_seo_headline","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"isShopping":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":3},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"68ef82cfe4b03d2464051cd7","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"keir starmer","slug":"keir-starmer","links":{"relativeLink":"news/keir-starmer","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/keir-starmer","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/keir-starmer"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/keir-starmer/"},{"name":"China","slug":"china","links":{"relativeLink":"news/china","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/china","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/china"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/china/"},{"name":"kemi badenoch","slug":"kemi-badenoch","links":{"relativeLink":"news/kemi-badenoch","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/kemi-badenoch","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/kemi-badenoch"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/kemi-badenoch/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"backfillRelatedArticles":[],"cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":false,"bodyAds":["