Skip to content

PM: State of flats owned by Labour MP 'unacceptable'

Sir Keir Starmer has said that the condition of rental flats owned by a Labour MP is "unacceptable".

The BBC found flats owned by Jas Athwal, the Labour MP for Ilford South, contained dirty communal areas, lights that did not work and fire alarms hanging loose from the ceiling.

Mr Athwal said he was "shocked and sickened" by the state of the flats and has since sacked the agency which manages his rental flats.

2 September 2024

Explore More

Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs in the Commons.

Watch: PM and Badenoch react to Trump's victory at PMQs

Chris Mason standing outside Downing Street

Trump win is the more complicated outcome for UK government

Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs

Starmer thanks Sunak for hard work, commitment and decency

PM Sir Keir Starmer wearing a suit, making a speech at a lectern, standing in front of a backdrop with 'fixing the foundations' written on it

Sir Keir Starmer: Working people know who they are

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, wears a blue suit and glasses, as he stands in the House of Commons. Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves sit either side of him on the benches.

Salmond was a monumental figure in politics - Starmer

A white wooden bungalow with blue trim, it has a small front garden and is surrounded by fencing

As council taxes rise, what makes a second home?

Sir Keir Starmer

PM tells Brits in Lebanon to 'leave now'

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer

I'm not worried about being unpopular, says Starmer

Keir Starmer on stage at his party conference

Starmer's conference speech in under two minutes

A woman doing acrobatics above a toy horse

'We turned city's empty spaces into playgrounds'

Joanne Scott

Disabled woman forced to sleep in stairwell

UK prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer walking with Laura Kuenssberg

Watch: PM Starmer on riots, fuel payments and Grenfell

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer

Starmer 'truly shocked' by state of the prison system

Two bearded men dressed casually sit next to each other in a park

Grenfell survivor: 'Losing my brother destroyed me'

Keir Starmer in Commons

Watch: PM apologises to Grenfell families

Keir Starmer an PMQs

PMQs heats up as leaders clash over winter fuel payments

Keir Starmer addressing journalist during news conference

Starmer condemns 'far-right thuggery' as unrest continues

South Yorkshire

Sir Keir Starmer

'These thugs are mobile' - Starmer denounces violence on streets

Prime Minister Keir Starmer

Keir Starmer's first PMQs as prime minister... in 90 seconds

Sir Keir Starmer

Starmer's first PMQs question from Sunak as prime minister

John Prescott downing a pint in 1994

Watch: John Prescott downs a pint in five seconds

While on the campaign trail in 1994, the Labour stalwart lived up to his man of the people reputation.

John Prescott is pushed back against a wall by a protester; there is egg on Prescott's shoulder

Moment Prescott punched protester who threw egg at him

The then deputy prime minister was in Rhyl, north Wales, to speak at a Labour rally, in 2001.

John Prescott wearing a black suit and hanging out of a bus window

John Prescott: The political heavyweight who stewarded New Labour

The former deputy leader of the Labour Party, who later sat in the Lords, leaves a wife and two sons.

Woman in hooded coat at farmer protest in Westminster

Watch: Young farmers on why they're protesting

Farmers on why they're protesting about inheritance tax

Darren Jones in BBC Political Thinking radio studio

My parents went without to feed me, says Treasury minister

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones talks to the BBC about his childhood.

Leading Tory party 'is the most enormous honour'

Kemi Badenoch has won the Conservative leadership race, replacing Rishi Sunak.

Henry Zeffman outside parliament wearing a suit and poppy pin

Henry Zeffman: How this Budget could change your life

Henry Zeffman: How this Budget could change your life

Treasury minister James Murray in the BBC Radio 4 Today programme studio

Minister asked five times if landlords count as 'working people'

Treasury minister James Murray was pressed on what makes someone a "working" person ahead of next week's Budget.

Head and shoulders picture of Rachel Reeves

'We must change the way we measure debt' - Reeves

The Chancellor has indicated that she will change the debt rules in the Budget to help fund new projects.

Angela Rayner

Rayner 'will miss' Dowden 'battle of the gingers' exchanges

The deputy PM highlights the "battle of the gingers" with her shadow in a light-hearted reference to their similar hair colours.

Baron Mackinlay of Richborough in formal robes shaking hands in the House of Lords.

'Bionic lord' takes up seat in Parliament

Former MP Craig Mackinlay becomes the first quadruple amputee to sit in the Lords.

Boris Johnson wearing a suit and headphones speaking into a mic in a BBC radio studio

Watch: Fiery exchange as Boris Johnson asked if he is a 'liar'

Boris Johnson rejects the notion that he is a 'liar'.

Protester at Labour conference

Protester dragged out after interrupting Reeves speech

The protester accused the government of continuing to sell arms to Israel, briefly halting the chancellor's speech.

Nigel Farage

Farage: Some candidates did 'enormous harm' to Reform

Nigel Farage says his party's general election performance was marred by at best "loopy" and at worst "extremely racist candidates".

Ed Davey om a jet ski on still green water

Lib Dem leader arrives at conference by jet ski

Ed Davey arrives at Brighton conference by jet ski.

Hand choosing a ball as part of the private member's bill ballot 2024

Watch: The lottery-style ballot that can change the law

The lottery-style backbench MP ballot that can change the law

Liz Kendall MP

Liz Kendall: Being a mum helps me switch off

Work and pensions secretary says "being a mum" helps her "switch off" from politics.

Tom Tugendhat

Tom Tugendhat vows to 'rebuild' the Conservative Party

Tom Tugendhat vows to "rebuild" Conservative Party after election defeat

Sir Keir Starmer

Starmer calls Sunak 'prime minister' in Commons slip-up

Sir Keir Starmer jokes that "old habits die hard" as he appears to give the leader of the opposition his old job back.

Robert Jenrick

Tory MP Jenrick says it 'could get worse' for his party

Conservative MP Robert Jenrick says things "could get worse" for his party