Andrew (Mountbatten Windsor) saves the Chancellor
Coffee House Shots
The Spectator
4.4 • 2.1K Ratings
🗓️ 31 October 2025
⏱️ 16 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Happy All Hallows’ Eve, everyone – and there is something spooky going on with Rachel Reeves and a property in Dulwich. Yesterday she was leading the news after admitting to renting out her family home following the move into No. 11 without getting the required licence from Southwark Council. There are a number of mitigating circumstances – not least the fact that the lettings agent said they would obtain the licence – but the Prime Minister has been forced to put out a statement. He backs her, for now, but will he come to regret that? Listen for a rare defence of Rachel Reeves on this podcast from our economics editor.
Not to be outdone, the Palace have helpfully moved the news agenda along by taking the decision to strip Andrew Mountbatten Windsor – as he is now called – of his titles. Who is behind the decision: the King, or the future King?
Oscar Edmondson speaks to Tim Shipman and Michael Simmons.
Produced by Oscar Edmondson.
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Transcript
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| 0:41.1 | Hello. to claim this offer now. Terms apply. Hello and welcome to Coffee House Shots, The Spectator's Daily Politics Podcast. I'm |
| 0:45.4 | Oscar Redmondson and I'm joined today by Tim Shipman and Michael Simmons on All Hallows Eve. |
| 0:50.5 | And Michael, there's something spooky going on with Rachel Reeves and a house in Dulwich. |
| 0:55.5 | Sure, so Rachel Reeves has got herself in a little bit of trouble because when her and her family moved out of the family home and into Downing Street, |
| 1:05.5 | they didn't want the house to be lying empty, so they rented it out. However, Suffolk Council have this slightly arbitrary, |
| 1:14.6 | bizarre licence that it's something like £945 that you have to pay before you can rent |
| 1:21.0 | your property out. And Reeves slash Rachel Reeves's husband, whoever was responsible for this arrangement, has |
| 1:29.0 | failed to obtain the licence. So she's in a bit of trouble for that. It later emerged, though, |
| 1:34.7 | the letting agent, who they'd obviously paid to handle the whole transaction, handle, find the |
| 1:40.0 | tenants, etc., have admitted that actually it was their oversight. But I want to do something unusual |
| 1:45.8 | for anyone that reads my coverage and say, Rachel Reeves is the victim here. |
| 1:50.6 | Oh my God, stop the press. Not necessarily of the letting agent, but of Suffolk Council. |
| 1:55.9 | I mean, our property market, whether it's renting, whether it's buying and selling, is absolutely beset |
| 2:02.8 | with silly charges, stupid taxes like stamp duty, and all these other things. And every day, |
| 2:08.3 | I become aware of some other payment that you need to do if you have anything to do with |
... |
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