Chancellor trying to cling on... and then hit millions with fresh misery in the Budget

RACHEL Reeves last night faced growing calls to lose her job for renting out her family's home without the necessary licence.

- By Jonathan Walker

The crisis-hit Chancellor blamed a "mistake" but Tories said that she had "broken the law", and they branded Sir Keir Starmer as "too weak" for not sacking her.

After Ms Reeves had admitted breaching housing rules that she herself had championed, the PM was accused of "laughing in the face of the British public" as he tried to play down the breach and refused to investigate on grounds that she had apologised.

Last night the lettings agency involved insisted it had told her she needed a £900 council licence. This contradicted the claim made by Ms Reeves in her initial letter to Sir Keir this week where she wrote: "Regrettably, we were not aware that a licence was necessary, and so we did not obtain the licence." South-east London agent Harvey & Wheeler added it had apologised to Ms Reeves and her husband after an employee offered to apply for them, then left before doing so.

But it said it was the landlord's responsibility to ensure a licence was in situ before a tenancy began.

Agency owner Gareth Martin said: "We alert all our clients to the need for a licence. Unfortunately, the lack of application was not picked up by us as we do not normally apply for licences on behalf of our clients; the onus is on them.