Reeves has ‘dealt with any issues that arise’ from career in retail banking, Starmer says

Rachel Reeves has “dealt with any issues that arise” from her career in retail banking, Keir Starmer has said, after claims the chancellor misused expenses and made inaccuracies on her CV.

Reeves’s career history has been called into question after a BBC investigation revealed she worked at the Bank of England

nine months shorter than she claimed

Reeves’s spokesperson said the chancellor had not been aware of the internal inquiry, despite reports claiming HBOS had launched the investigation to also shed light on the spending culture of the department in which Reeves worked.

A whistleblower claimed Reeves and two other managers’ use of expenses was excessive, according to the report.

On Reeves’ LinkedIn profile page, it was outlined that Reeves had worked at the Bank of England for just more than six years, from September 2000 to December 2006. However this was updated once Reeves was approached by the BBC, and changed to September 2000 until March 2006.

On leaving her job in March 2006, Reeves started working for Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) in West Yorkshire.

A spokesperson for Reeves acknowledged the dates on her LinkedIn profile were inaccurate and said it was due to an administrative error by the team.

The prime minister was asked if he felt comfortable that “she exaggerated her relevant experience”. Starmer said: “Rachel Reeves has dealt with any issues that arise.

“She delivered a really important budget for the country that balanced the books, gave us stability, that is beginning to see those interest rates come down, those mortgages coming down as a result; beginning to see some of the growth we need.

“She is determined that we go further with that.

“So she can deal with the issues that arise out of this report many years ago.

“What I am concerned with – what she is concerned with, we get up every day to do – is to make sure that the economy in our country, which was badly damaged under the last government, is revived and we have growth, and that is felt in the pockets of working people across the country [so] they feel better off.”

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Downing Street also said the prime minister believe Reeves has integrity and he has no concerns about her conduct when asked if she disclosed that there had been an investigation into her expenses.

The prime minister’s spokesperson said: “Obviously the Chancellor, like every Cabinet member, has been through that process. The process is governed by the independent adviser. Obviously I can’t get into detail.”

Asked whether it would be right to say the prime minister does not have any concerns whatsoever about Ms Reeves’ conduct, he said: “Correct.”