Mailwatch(ed) Forum

She can be prosecuted for what's happened here.

Did the agent advise her she needed a licence? It's more than likely that it's still her responsibility, but I'd be a bit annoyed if I was her. I thought the same with Rayner and the solicitor, but nobody much agreed with me.

The Government's probably going to get a load of shit for not sorting out Prince Andrew as well. Did Geoffrey Clinton-Brown put this out himself, or are the whole committee clueless? I like to think if I'd have been sitting there I'd have thought "hang on, doesn't he have a contract though?"

Nearly Legal says Andrew's lease is valid.

Where the fuck's Alistair Campbell when you need him?

Doing emergency podcasts.

Can I ask why should the government care about Prince Andrew’s lodge?

Does the crown own the Queen Mum's castle on the Caithness coast vulnerable to radioactive fallout from Douneray?

Reopening the Portishead railway line to passengers for the first time in 60 years is moving closer with the final phase of enabling works now underway, paving the way for construction to start in 2026.

The multimillion-pound project was given the green light by the Department for Transport (DfT) back in July thanks to more than £47m of government funding.

Don't know where else to put this, but sounds like decent progress. It's a few miles of mothballed track, should have been done ages ago. The Government have rightly focussed on getting these things through planning quicker, but they have to watch that the cost too. I think this is devolved for delivery, and sometimes these aren't up to the job of controlling costs.

Apparently the ministerial code advisor has cleared Reeves. So perhaps that draws a line under it. Probably not though.

Guardian live blog trying to make something of the fact the spokesman wouldn't answer.

In fairness, it's something a live blog would focus on. But as ever, I wonder what some people actually do for their fees. Shouldn't a commercial agent tell you you need a licence if they're letting a flat on your behalf? I think you'd be entitled to be very annoyed if they didn't, while of course I accept that it's your responsibility at the end of the day and you have to pay fines etc. Drumming someone out of their job for this would seem a bit harsh.

Actually they're saying that the advisor should have seen proof that it was inadvertent. What would that have been? It's a more likely explanation than the Chancellor thinking "Fuck em, I'm not getting a licence", I'd have thought.

Reeves thought unlikely to face fine over rental breach – UK politics live
Southwark council only usually fine landlords who ignore licence warnings

Doubtless we'll have a load of the "Starmer let off by Durham Police Commissioner" bollocks now.

It seems new information has come to light.

Could mean anything.

Kemi's gone with "the fact that this investigation is considering new information shows why there needs to be an investigation".

I know we need to be better than them and all that, but I'm old enough to remember Priti Patel breaking the ministerial code and the Tory reaction being "we don't give a fuck". There are virtually no votes in being stricter than they are, probably quite a few to lose if Reeves goes and the cost of borrowing rises again.

Lettings agent apologises to Reeves for rental licence ‘oversight’ – UK politics live
Owner of firm used by chancellor says he ‘deeply regrets’ issue

Fair play here. He's realized that if you're letting a house for someone, you should at least tell them about the licence requirement at that address. These conditions don't even apply across whole boroughs or anything. I didn't need one for my flat in Tower Hamlets, though other parts of it do.

I may have overreacted last night when I heard about this.

Abernathy wrote: ↑Wed Oct 29, 2025 9:17 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote: ↑Wed Oct 29, 2025 3:21 pm

Labour MPs furious after being told to abstain on Farage’s 10-minute rule bill proposing ECHR withdrawal

It's a 10 Minute Rule Bill Farage publicity stunt, which will go nowhere. Ignore it. Go and do something else less boring instead. That's what MPs do when there are 10 Minute Rule bills. I've seen it on TV. They leave the chamber almost as one.

I’m just astonished that Farage would appear actually to have done a bit of actual work in the Commons.

He will need a long lie down before next week's Poppy rage event.

Tubby Isaacs wrote: ↑Wed Oct 29, 2025 11:34 pm The Government's probably going to get a load of shit for not sorting out Prince Andrew as well. Did Geoffrey Clinton-Brown put this out himself, or are the whole committee clueless? I like to think if I'd have been sitting there I'd have thought "hang on, doesn't he have a contract though?"

Nearly Legal says Andrew's lease is valid.

The former Duke of York's ears pricked up on hearing "Nearly Legal"

Maybe that bullshit by the Public Accounts Committee swung it.

So the Government didn't actually have to intervene directly with the Royal Family then. I'm not a fan, but if they're going to be around (as most people think they should) it's generally better not to muck about with them too much. You make it much easier for Prime Minister Jenrick or whoever to put them wholly in the service of the Conservative Party.

So... an end terrace in Jaywick for him then?