UK government backs finance minister Rachel Reeves after tears in Parliament
A video grab shows Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves looking tearful during a weekly questions session in Britain's Parliament with Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
LONDON - The British government said on July 2 that fFinance minister Rachel Reeves was 'going nowhere' after she appeared visibly upset in Parliament as rumours swirled around her future.
Tears rolled down Ms Reeves' face after Prime Minister Keir Starmer declined to guarantee that she would remain in place until the next general election, likely in 2029.
It came after Mr Starmer's Labour government U-turned over key welfare reforms, wiping out a multibillion-pound boost to public finances and triggering speculation that Ms Reeves could lose her job.
The pound slumped more than 1 per cent against the dollar on July 2 and London's stock market retreated amid the speculation.
A spokeswoman for Mr Starmer later told reporters that Ms Reeves had his 'full backing', while a spokesman for Ms Reeves said she had been upset due to a 'personal matter'.
'The Chancellor is going nowhere. She has the Prime Minister's full backing,' Mr Starmer's press secretary said.
Asked why he had not confirmed faith in Ms Reeves when asked in the House of Commons, she said: 'He has done so repeatedly.'
'The Chancellor and the Prime Minister are focused entirely on delivering for working people,' she added.
Asked about Ms Reeves's tears, her spokesman said: 'It's a personal matter, which, as you would expect, we are not going to get into.'
'The Chancellor will be working out of Downing Street this afternoon,' he said.
Mr Starmer backed down on the welfare plans on July 1 after a rebellion by MPs from his own party, in a major blow to his authority.
It has also left an almost £5 billion (S$8.6 billion) black hole in Ms Reeves' plans, leading to the possibility that she will have to raise taxes on 'working people', something that she has repeatedly ruled out.
Ms Reeves has also ruled out tweaking her self-imposed rule that day-to-day spending should be met through tax receipts rather than borrowing. AFP
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