Treasury chief Rachel Reeves has apologised for breaking the law by renting out her London house without a license. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would not take action over what Reeves called an inadvertent mistake. Reeves and her family moved out of their south London home and into a government-owned apartment next to the prime minister's Downing Street residence after the Labour Party was elected in July 2024.
The Daily Mail newspaper reported late Wednesday that Reeves did not have a rental license, as required by the local authority in the area. Landlords who don't have a license can be prosecuted or fined. In a letter to Starmer, published by the prime minister's office, Reeves said it was "an inadvertent mistake. As soon as it was brought to my attention, we took immediate action and applied for the license." Starmer replied that he had consulted the government's ethics adviser, who had concluded that "further investigation is not necessary."
"I am satisfied that this matter can be drawn to a close following your apology," he wrote. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said that wasn't good enough and demanded Starmer launch a full investigation. Reeves is already under pressure over the public finances as she prepares to deliver her annual budget statement on November 26.
The Labour Party government has struggled to deliver the economic growth it promised. Inflation remains stubbornly high, and the economic outlook is subdued, frustrating efforts to repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living. Reeves has indicated she may abandon a pre-election promise not to raise income tax or sales tax, arguing that the economy is in a worse state than previously thought after 14 years of Conservative government.
Starmer has already lost members of his government to scandal. In September, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner resigned after failing to pay enough tax on a home purchase. Days later, Starmer fired Britain's high-profile ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, over his links to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
CHINA-SPACE
China says it's on track to land astronauts on the moon by 2030 ahead of space station mission Jiuquan(China), Oct 30 (AP) China said Thursday it's on track to land astronauts on the moon by 2030 as it introduced the next crew of astronauts who will head to its space station as part of the country's ambitious plans to be a leader in space exploration.
"Currently, each programme of the research and development work of putting a person on the moon is progressing smoothly," said Zhang Jingbo, spokesman for the China Manned Space Programme, citing the Long March 10 rocket, moon landing suits and exploration vehicle, as fruitful efforts of that work. "Our fixed goal of China landing a person on the moon by 2030 is firm."
China is also preparing to send up its latest rotation of astronauts who make up part of the ongoing mission to complete the Tiangong space station, part of its broader space exploration plans. Each team stays inside the station for six months, conducting research.
The latest crew joining others on the station will be made up of Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang. They will take off from the Jiuquan launch center Friday at 11:44 pm in China. Zhang was previously part of the Shenzhou 15 mission to the station. For Wu and Zhang, this will be their first time in space.
The astronauts will also carry four mice with them on this trip, two male and two female. They will study the effects of weightlessness and confinement on the animals. China began work on the Tiangong, or "Heavenly Palace," after the country was excluded from the International Space Station over US national security concerns over the Chinese space programme's direct link to the People's Liberation Army.
