Newscast The Rachel Reeves Rental Mini-Saga
10 snips
Oct 30, 2025 
Nick Watt, Newsnight correspondent, dives into the political storm surrounding Rachel Reeves' rental property, revealing a licensing oversight and exploring the backlash from rival parties. Laura Bicker, reporting from APEC, provides insights into the dynamic Trump–Xi meeting, discussing agreements on trade essentials like soybeans and rare earths, while Faisal Islam analyzes the economic implications. They debate whether the outcomes signify a truce or merely a temporary pause in tensions—a pivotal moment for global relations and its implications for the UK.
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Chancellor's Licence Misstep
- Rachel Reeves failed to hold the required Southwark landlord licence and initially said she learned about it only after the Daily Mail contacted her.
- The Prime Minister consulted the independent adviser and closed the matter quickly due to her apology and rapid application for the licence.
Emails Complicate Initial Explanation
- New emails showed Rachel Reeves' household had correspondence about the licence and the letting agent offered to apply but failed to do so after an abrupt staff resignation.
- That undermined Reeves' earlier claim of ignorance and complicated the political response.
Political and Market Sensitivities
- The Prime Minister publicly backed Reeves and rushed clarification to avoid market concerns about the Chancellor.
- Conservatives continued to press the discrepancy between her two statements, keeping political pressure alive.