“Law-makers cannot be law-breakers.” That was Keir Starmer’s sanctimonious rallying cry when he sat across the Commons benches, wagging his finger at Boris Johnson over “Partygate.” Back then, he styled himself as the clean-handed moralist — the man who’d restore integrity to British politics. But now that Labour is in power, that line doesn’t seem to apply. Because when it’s his people caught breaking the rules, the Prime Minister’s outrage vanishes faster than his principles.

The latest offender is Chancellor Rachel Reeves — caught renting out her London home without the required licence. That’s not a minor administrative oversight; it’s a criminal offence. Failing to obtain a landlord licence carries a potential unlimited fine, or up to £30,000 in penalties, and the law even allows for tenants to reclaim up to a year’s rent. These are serious consequences — the kind that ruin ordinary people. But not, it seems, if you’re a member of Starmer’s Cabinet.

When the scandal broke, Reeves swiftly referred herself to the “independent ethics adviser” and fired off a letter to the Prime Minister. Starmer’s response?

“I am satisfied that this matter can be drawn to a close following your apology.” Drawn to a close? Imagine that. If an ordinary landlord in Southwark had done the same thing, they’d be facing prosecution.

But for Rachel Reeves — the Chancellor of the Exchequer, no less — it’s all neatly wrapped up with a polite apology and a nod from her boss.

It’s the purest expression of Labour’s two-tier mentality: one rule for them, another for everyone else.

Starmer’s government behaves like a new aristocracy — a political elite who believe accountability is for other people. Reeves says she “wasn’t aware” she needed a licence. But that excuse collapses the moment you look at her own words.

Just days ago, Reeves publicly celebrated Leeds Council’s decision to expand landlord licensing, posting: “This scheme means private landlords in the area will be required by law to obtain a licence for any residential property they are seeking to let.”

So, she clearly understood what the law required — when it applied to everyone else. The hypocrisy is breathtaking.

This is not just about a missing licence. It’s about the corrosion of moral authority in government. Labour promised decency, standards, and responsibility. What we’ve got instead is a clique of career politicians, now indulging in the very arrogance and entitlement they once condemned.

It’s especially galling coming from a Chancellor who has spent her short tenure punishing landlords and squeezing small property owners with higher taxes and endless red tape.

While she raises stamp duty and plots “fairer housing policy,” she’s been quietly profiting from a £3,200-a-month rental that flouted the very rules she once championed.

Ignorance is no defence. Not for Reeves, not for anyone. She’s the Chancellor of the United Kingdom — the person in charge of tax, law, and enforcement — and we’re supposed to believe she didn’t know she needed a £900 licence to let out her house?.

If Labour had even a shred of integrity left, Reeves would already be gone. But instead of holding her accountable, Starmer shrugged, smiled, and waved it through. Contrast that with how Labour howled for Tory resignations over far lesser infractions. The hypocrisy stinks.

The truth is that Labour’s moral posturing was always a façade. Their outrage in opposition was performative. In power, they reveal themselves as just another set of rule-breakers.

This country deserves better. We need leaders with principles, not politicians who trade morality for convenience. We need a government that treats the law as sacred, not optional.

Rachel Reeves broke the rules — and she should be sacked, plain and simple. Starmer once declared, “law-makers cannot be law-breakers.”

He was right.

Now it’s time for him to prove he meant it.