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Reeves in tears at PMQs after 'altercations with Starmer and Speaker'
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Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
Reeves has made herself unsackable by crying at PMQs, claim Labour critics
Rachel Reeves has made herself unsackable by crying at Prime Minister's Questions, Labour critics have claimed. The Chancellor's display of emotion in the Commons on Wednesday was followed by Sir Keir Starmer giving her his unequivocal backing. The Prime Minister committed to keeping Ms Reeves in the Cabinet for the rest of his first term as colleagues publicly rallied around the Chancellor, who said she was dealing with an unexplained 'personal issue' when she burst into tears. However, a government source complained that Sir Keir 'seems to have tied himself to her' after her tears, which triggered a £3bn market sell-off and crash in the value of sterling. 'I thought at the beginning of Wednesday she would go, then thought it was confirmed when I saw her crying at PMQs, but then she didn't,' said the source. Another source said Ms Reeves had enjoyed an 'outpouring of sympathy' over an incident that was still 'inescapably linked to the political facts' of the welfare rebellion. A third added that being pictured distraught on television had 'shored up her position'. One insider said that, since Monday, the mood in Whitehall has transitioned from 'head in hands' over the welfare rebellion to the 'surreal horror' of watching Ms Reeves cry in the Commons. 'The dark clouds were descending,' said another source. 'Not in a terminal sense, but that everything was going wrong at once.' Some Labour MPs have privately suggested that the Chancellor should be sacked for her opposition to reducing the benefit cuts. Ms Reeves and Sir Keir put on a united front on Thursday, hugging in front of the cameras as they launched the Government's health strategy. The Chancellor said: 'People saw I was upset, but that was yesterday. Today's a new day and I'm just cracking on with the job.' She later added that 'when I'm having a tough day it's on the telly, and most people don't have to deal with that'. Sir Keir said politicians are 'humans in the end' as he praised Ms Reeves, adding that she would serve in her role 'for many years to come'. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, said: 'She is a tough character. She is resilient, and she will bounce back' The Telegraph understands that the Chancellor also spoke to Angela Rayner, with whom she has previously had a difficult relationship, about the emotional episode on either Wednesday night or Thursday morning. Rumours that her tears came after a row with either Sir Keir or Ms Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, were denied on Wednesday. While Ms Reeves is now considered safe, there is still talk of a reshuffle of other Cabinet ministers, their aides or more junior colleagues. Some advisers think Sir Keir will launch a 'reset' just before the parliamentary summer break, which begins on July 22, to allow new ministers to familiarise themselves with their brief before the Labour Party conference at the end of September. Others think the Prime Minister is more likely to wait until early in the new year, noting that he 'seldom rushes things' and has a tendency to give members of his team plenty of time to improve before sacking them. The PMQs session followed a week of tense negotiation between the Government and Labour rebels, who forced almost £5 billion in concessions on Sir Keir's benefits reforms. Ms Reeves, who opposed a Government U-turn, will now be forced to find that money in her autumn Budget, on top of existing commitments and a black hole of around £20bn. She has promised to do that without breaching Labour's fiscal rules or raising any of the 'big three' taxes – VAT, National Insurance and income tax. Treasury sources insist that the fiscal situation could improve later this year if the cost of servicing government debt falls or Britain experiences significant economic growth. But there is a consensus in other departments that Ms Reeves is now boxed in by her previous commitments. 'I can't see how she can pull it off after all the promises she has made,' said one source. Another added: 'She's in an impossible position, but that wasn't a secret. Now it's even more impossible.' A new poll by YouGov, published on Thursday, showed almost three-quarters of voters now expect Labour to break its manifesto pledge to not raise the three largest taxes. 'My guess is that we will keep to those promises, but there are decisions to be taken,' a source said. 'We didn't want to come in and raise taxes last year, but circumstances meant we had to do something.' There is disagreement over how politically damaging it would be for Labour to break its manifesto pledges on tax, after a year of turmoil with the election of Donald Trump and war in the Middle East. It may not be mathematically possible to raise as much as Ms Reeves requires in the autumn without touching those taxes. Freezing income tax thresholds, which would not be a manifesto breach, would raise around £10 billion, while some form of wealth tax or higher rate of capital gains tax could make up some of the rest of the shortfall. But higher taxes of any kind are unlikely to be popular, regardless of whether they come as a surprise to the public. 'Is the Treasury orthodoxy running Britain without any political lens?' asked a source. 'They are just looking at a column on a spreadsheet that says they need £5bn and they go to another column in the Budget and get it from there, without thinking about the politics.'
Metro
4 hours ago
- Metro
From tears to cheers, readers discuss Rachel Reeves and tax rises
I was shocked and alarmed to see Rachel Reeves crying during prime minister's questions (Metro, Thu). The chancellor was seen wiping away a tear after Sir Keir Starmer faced a grilling over a backbench revolt against welfare reform that left a £5billion hole in her plans. We all know politics is a harsh way to earn a crust but no job should ever leave someone so exposed like that. I hope she's OK and the issue that allegedly caused it is resolved – a Treasury spokesman said it was 'a personal matter'. I also hope the people said to be involved are able to reflect on what happened. Paddy J Cawkwell, Conisbrough I'm no fan of Starmer, Angela Rayner or Reeves. In fact, I pretty much despise them. That said, I'm not going to derive any pleasure in seeing anyone close to tears. I hope Reeves feels better soon. Martin Lawrence, South Croydon The chancellor shed some tears at PMQs on Wednesday. It was not over the genocide in Gaza or the countless children that the UK has helped wipe from the face of the earth through its arming Israel. Nor was it over the two-tier welfare state that she has helped create, where her 'balancing the books' is on the backs of the sick and the disabled. I think she was crying because the PM refused to answer a question about whether or not she might lose her role as chancellor. She was crying over a small bump in her lucrative career. Pathetic. Julie Partridge, London Hooray for a government where so many MPs are prepared to stand up against the boss, their leader, for what they believe is right. Starmer was forced to cancel his plans to reduce the number of people eligible for personal independence payments 90 minutes before the vote on Tuesday. I've never seen the Tories make a stand in such numbers and no Tory chancellor would be in tears because none of them would care that much. Angela Singer, Cambridge Regarding the current debate on welfare reform. While it seems that most politicians (including Labour rebels) agree that welfare reform is necessary, no one has yet come up with a practical solution to achieve it – other than the obvious options of cutting or reducing access to current benefits and/or restricting benefits to new applicants as was intended by this week's original bill. So, as a result of the government's cack-handed approach up to this point – both on this and the winter fuel allowance – and the strident opposition of its own MPs, which has effectively derailed the current bill, the 'financial consequences' alluded to by cabinet minister Pat McFadden will surely be increased taxes for ordinary people in the autumn budget. Jeremy, London Once again we are subjected to the sight of the major political parties just 'slagging off' each other's proposals. Why don't they get together and get on with running the country to its best advantage? This is what the British people need and expect from their elected representatives. Rob, York I wonder how many more people the Israel Defence Force have killed since rap-punk duo Bob Vylan led the crowd in chants of 'death to the IDF' at Glastonbury on Saturday? This morning I saw that Gaza hospital director Dr Marwan Sultan, his wife, daughters and son-in-law have been killed. That's more to add to the tens of thousands, including many thousands of children, the IDF have already killed. This has happened under the leadership of Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Appalling as what Hamas did on October 7, 2023 was, it does not justify Israel killing all these Palestinians, most of whom were surely not active members of Hamas – certainly not the 14,000 children the UN estimates to have died. George, Uxbridge Timothy Triggs (MetroTalk, Tue) takes issue with my letter saying Reform UK has nothing to offer working people. He points to their announcement that they would raise the income tax threshold to £20,000. Frankly, I didn't take this seriously, it being such a large rise. And in defence of their so-called Britannia Card, which would allow non-doms to pay £250,000 to be spared taxes on their foreign earnings, Timothy says millionaires pay a lot of other taxes. I accept Reform would know, since most of its leaders are millionaires! So let's judge them by their voting record shall we? Minimum wage increase? Opposed. Employment rights bill? Voted against. As I say – nothing to offer working people. S Coyne, Coventry Like Dominic (MetroTalk, Wed) I also remember the long, hot summer of 1976 and the drought. More Trending I'm certain it also affected south-west Scotland as in July that year, as usual, I was on holiday in Ayr, staying with my aunt and uncle, and water use was restricted in the town. What this meant was, want a bath or shower? Just nip down to the beach – no need for soap, the salt water is good enough! Robert James, St Albans And with this week's heatwave, all of a sudden, everybody is working from work, because work has air-con. Eddy, Hitchin MORE: £55 Three-course sharing dinner and champagne in The Shard: 10 unmissable Time Out deals MORE: The Metro daily cartoon by Guy Venables MORE: Rachel Reeves's tears should usher in a new kind of politics
Graziadaily
5 hours ago
- Graziadaily
Everything We Know About Rachel Reeves' Family
The chancellor Rachel Reeves made headlines this week after she broke down in tears during a heated exchange in Prime Minister's Questions (PMQ's) in the House of Commons. Throughout the session, conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Reeves looked 'absolutely miserable' and described her as Prime Minister Keir Starmer's 'human shield.' In the fiery exchange, Starmer refused to say whether Reeves would remain in her job until the next election in front of MPs in the Commons, while Reeves appeared to wipe away tears behind him. After PMQs, Reeves' spokesperson said she had been dealing with a 'personal matter' and Starmer said her tears had had 'nothing to do with politics.' One person by Reeves side throughout the ordeal was her sister, Ellie Reeves, who is also a Labour minister. Ellie appeared to comfort Reeves by holding her hand as she left the Common's Chamber. Rachel Reeves' sister is Ellie Reeves, the MP for Lewisham West and East Dulwich. Ellie, who is two years younger than Rachel, was elected as MP of Lewisham West & Penge in 2017. Rachel and Ellie come from a public service background - their father was a teacher and their mother worked as a social worker. Ellie studied law at St Catherine's College Oxford, where she chaired the Oxford University Labor Club in 2001 and was National Chair of Labour Students from 2002 to 2003. The siblings always had a strong interest in politics. While at Cator Park School for Girls, in Beckenham, Rachel decided to run in a mock election, and Ellie was her campaign manager. In an interview with The Independent, Ellie outlined how the pair had always supported each other's careers, even as children. 'I can remember the 1992 general election, and we were at school, and they had a mock election,' she told the outlet. 'Rachel put herself forward for this mock election, and I was her campaign manager... She put me in charge of the leaflets, stickers and things like that to give out.' Rachel and Ellie elaborated on their relationship in a joint interview with The New Statesman. Ellie quipped that Rachel could be like 'a pushy parent' who encouraged her to do her homework on time, but maintained the siblings are strongly supportive of each other. 'Rachel's work ethic is something that I hugely admire, and her loyalty,' Ellie said. 'Her schedule is really demanding but she still makes time for her friends and family. She has always pushed me and supported me in whatever I have wanted to do.' Yes, Rachel Reeves is married to Nicholas Joicey, who has had a long career in the civil service after starting out as a journalist for the Observer newspaper. In July 2023, he was appointed Defra Group Chief Operating Officer and Second Permanent Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He also worked as Gordon Brown's speechwriter when Brown was Chancellor. In an interview with The Guardian, Reeves was asked how she balances work and family life. 'We manage it. The reason we're where we are in south-east London is because we're near my parents, and we do get help,' she said. Yes, Rachel Reeves has two children, a son and a daughter. Reeves announced her first pregnancy in 2012, and gave birth to a daughter called Anna. Rachel and Nicholas welcomed their second child - a son called Harold born in 2015. In her general election campaign speech in May, Reeves remembered how her mother's attitude to finances inspired her own economic policies. She explained how her mother sat at the kitchen table 'combing over, line by line, her bank statements and her receipts.' She added: 'Every penny mattered... The basic test for whoever is chancellor is to bring that attitude to the public finances.'
