Latest news with #PrimeMinister'sQuestions
The Journal
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Journal
Quiz: How well do you know these famous tears?
DURING THE WEEK, the UK's Labour party's chancellor Rachel Reeves grew visibly emotional during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons as British prime minister Keir Starmer declined to guarantee that she would remain in her role until the next election. Despite a UK government spokesperson saying that Reeves was tearful over a 'personal issue' in the Commons on Wednesday afternoon, many remained unconvinced. Advertisement By Wednesday evening, as the front pages for Thursday's newspapers in the UK were revealed, it was clear that Reeves's tears had dominated the news agenda. The Telegraph headlined its front page story 'Pound falls after Reeves's tears'. Reeves's tears will no doubt go down in history. See how much you know about these other famous tears. A teary display by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2012 was quickly blamed on the wind by the Kremlin - but what was the reason behind his emotional speech? Reuters Massive protests erupting in Moscow against his rule He had survived a recent assassination attempt He had been forced to temporarily step back from ruling due to health reasons He had just been reelected Why did England's Paul Gascoigne begin to cry on the football pitch in the 1990 World Cup semi-finals against West Germany? Alamy He received a yellow card that would've ruled him out of the final had England won He missed a penalty shoot out He twisted his ankle in the final minutes of the game He failed to block a goal, costing England the game True or false: Former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher cried as she left Downing Street for her final audience with the queen. Alamy True False In which film does this image, now in use as a meme, of Daniel Kaluuya's character crying appear? Alamy The Hate U Give Black Panther Promising Young Woman Get Out This painting is titled 'The Weeping Woman'. What is the name of the artist? Alamy Edgar Degas Pablo Picasso Pedro Pascal Vincent van Gogh Which British politician - who admitted to crying on several political occasions - made a speech with the phrase 'Blood, toil, tears and sweat' in the House of Commons in 1940? Alamy Winston Churchill Alamy David Lloyd George Alamy Clement Attlee Alamy Neville Chamberlain In Love Actually, Emma Thompson's character Karen famously cries after her Christmas present from her husband reveals his betrayal. Which artist's CD does she cry to? Alamy Amy Winehouse Fleetwood Mac Joni Mitchell Bob Dylan Then-president of the US Barack Obama cried following which American tragedy? Alamy A school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School Widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy The Aurora Theatre Shooting that killed 12 people The bombing of the Boston Marathon The tears didn't last long, but which recent win by Irish golfer Rory McIlroy saw him well up? Alamy Career Grand Slam The Ryder Cup PGA Championship Masters tournament Answer all the questions to see your result! Alamy You scored out of ! Powerscourt Waterfall You know your waterworks Share your result: Share Tweet Alamy You scored out of ! River Shannon You're not quite a fountain of teary knowledge, but getting there Share your result: Share Tweet Alamy You scored out of ! Turloughs You have your moments, but dry up during the summer Share your result: Share Tweet Alamy You scored out of ! Dry-eyed Show some emotion, would you? Share your result: Share Tweet Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Independent
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
UK chancellor Rachel Reeves says she is ‘cracking on with the job' after tears in parliament
Prime minister Keir Starmer presents united front as Tories criticise show of emotion ©Press Association Today at 00:30 Rachel Reeves said she was 'clearly' upset during her appearance at Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) but insisted she was 'cracking on with the job'. The chancellor and Keir Starmer shared a hug, and Ms Reeves smiled throughout her first public appearance after she broke down in tears in the House of Commons.
Irish Independent
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Sean O'Grady: Kemi Badenoch's casual cruelty in the face of Rachel Reeves' tears may come back to bite her
Tory leader should be careful as Robert Jenrick waits in the wings and Labour rebels may be put off by her aggressive stance The trouble with Kemi Badenoch is that if she sees someone lying on the ground, she can't resist the temptation to kick them. She lacks empathy, to put it politely. There she was at Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs), facing an open goal for a change, and attacking the prime minister, who, even three days later, can look after himself.
Graziadaily
03-07-2025
- Politics
- 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.'
San Francisco Chronicle
03-07-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
How a tear or two spooked markets and dominated UK's political narrative
LONDON (AP) — The weekly session in which the British prime minister is questioned by lawmakers in Parliament can be an ordeal for the government leader. For Cabinet members, it's usually simply a matter of backing their boss. But on Wednesday the spotlight ended up on Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves during the Prime Minister's Questions session because it became evident that she was crying as she sat beside Prime Minister Keir Starmer. It's not known what triggered the tears, later said to have been personal. They came as Starmer sought to fend off attacks that his year-old government was losing its authority and that he was about to fire Reeves to regain the initiative. Markets spooked Traders got spooked, with the interest rate charged on the U.K.'s 10-year benchmark bond in the markets up sharply, and the pound down. The moves were a sign investors had lost confidence in U.K. financial assets. Reeves had become associated with fiscal discipline, in particular a rule of covering day-to-day government spending with tax revenue, said Andrew Wishart, an economist at Berenberg Bank. 'The markets are concerned that if the Chancellor goes, such fiscal discipline would follow her out of the door," he added. With Starmer insisting Thursday that Reeves would remain in post, the markets calmed down. Prime minister's weekly ordeal Prime Minister's Questions, or PMQs, can come as close to a gladiatorial contest as is possible in a modern legislative chamber. Very little deference is given to the man or woman holding the highest office in the land. The prime minister is considered the first among equals. Like all other members of Parliament, the prime minister represents one of 650 constituencies. And nowhere is that shared connection more noticeable than at noon every Wednesday in the House of Commons. Starmer stands for half an hour every week to be quizzed by friends and foes. He may get soft balls, but there's always a potential zinger around the corner. The leader of the biggest opposition party, currently the Conservative Party's Kemi Badenoch, has the best chance to knock the prime minister off course. With six questions, she can lay traps and go for the jugular. Typically it's more theater than substance, and the weekly shouting match is consistently the most-watched parliamentary event, viewed around the world, including on C-Span in the United States. This week was fraught This week's session appeared to have more at stake than usual following a chaotic run-up to a welfare reform bill. With scores of Labour lawmakers opposed, Starmer was forced to scrap key planks of the bill — at a cost, politically and economically. For a prime minister, with one of the biggest majorities in history, it was a sign of weakness. Many Labour MPs blame Reeves, for her rigid adherence to her budget rules. As usual, Starmer was flanked to his left by Reeves, who didn't look her usual self, clearly bloated around the eyes. Badenoch showed little mercy, describing Reeves as 'absolutely miserable' and a 'human shield' for Starmer. She asked Starmer whether he could repeat a pledge that Reeves would stay in her post until the general election, which has to take place by the middle of 2029. While praising Reeves' handling of the economy, Starmer didn't give that assurance, and it was around this point that Reeves wiped away a tear. 'How awful for the Chancellor that he couldn't confirm that she would stay in place," Badenoch responded. The immediate political aftermath Starmer's Downing Street operation faced questions over Reeves' teary appearance. Could it have been hay fever? Had Starmer told Reeves she would be fired for the government's recent woes, which has seen Labour's approval ratings slide? Starmer's press spokesman said it was a 'personal matter,' insisted Reeves was 'going nowhere' and had the prime minister's 'full backing.' Later, Starmer told the BBC that Reeves would be Chancellor for a 'very long time' and that it was 'absolutely wrong' to suggest her distress was related to the welfare U-turn. A day on Images of Reeves' agitated state were emblazoned across newspapers and remained a key item on the news agenda. Starmer repeated on Thursday that Reeves would remain Chancellor 'for years to come" and sought to explain why he hadn't comforted Reeves during PMQs. 'In PMQs, it is bang, bang, bang," he said at an event where he and Reeves hugged. "That's what it was yesterday and therefore I was probably the last to appreciate anything going on in the chamber.' 'People saw I was upset, but that was yesterday," she told Sky News. 'I guess the thing that is different from my job and many of your viewers is that when I'm having a tough day, it's on the telly.'
