Shadow portfolios

2021–2024	Chancellor of the Exchequer
2020–2021	Duchy of Lancaster
2020–2021	Cabinet Office
2013–2015	Work and Pensions
2011–2013	Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Member of Parliament
for Leeds West and Pudsey
Leeds West (2010–2024)

Incumbent

Assumed office
6 May 2010

Preceded by

John Battle

Majority

12,392 (32.2%)

Personal details

Born

Rachel Jane Reeves

13 February 1979 (age 46)
Lewisham, London, England

Political party

Labour

Spouse

Nicholas Joicey

Children

Relatives

Ellie Reeves (sister)

Residences

11 Downing Street, London

Alma mater

Signature

Website

rachelreeves.com

Rachel Jane Reeves (born 13 February 1979) is a British politician. She has been the Chancellor of the Exchequer since July 2024. This is a very important job in the UK government. She is a member of the Labour Party. She has also been a Member of Parliament (MP) for Leeds West and Pudsey since 2010. Before this, she held several important roles in the Labour Party.

Rachel Reeves was born in Lewisham, London. She studied at the University of Oxford and the London School of Economics. She joined the Labour Party when she was 16 years old. She worked as an economist before becoming an MP.

Early Life and Education

Rachel Reeves was born in Lewisham, London, on 13 February 1979. Her parents were primary school teachers. They taught her the importance of education. Her parents divorced when she was seven.

Rachel and her sister, Ellie Reeves, also a Labour politician, were influenced by their father. He taught them about social democracy, which is a political idea about fairness and equality. Rachel joined the Labour Party when she was 16.

She went to Cator Park School for Girls in Beckenham. After school, she studied at the University of Oxford. She earned a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics. Later, she got a master's degree in economics from the London School of Economics (LSE).

Early Career

Working as an Economist

Rachel Reeves started working at the Bank of England in September 2000. She was part of their graduate program. She worked there for several years as an economist.

Later, in 2006, she moved to Leeds. She worked for HBOS, a banking group. Her role involved customer relations. She dealt with complaints and helped with mortgages.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

First Attempts and Election

Rachel Reeves first tried to become an MP in 2005 and 2006. She ran in the Bromley and Chislehurst area. She didn't win these elections.

In 2010, she was chosen to run for the Leeds West seat. She won this election on 6 May 2010. She became the MP for Leeds West.

Her First Speech in Parliament

On 8 June 2010, Rachel Reeves gave her first speech in the House of Commons. She talked about fighting for justice for people in her area. She promised to work for fairness and equality.

Working in the Shadow Cabinet

After becoming an MP, Rachel Reeves was appointed as Shadow Pensions Minister in October 2010. This meant she was part of the Labour Party's team that challenges the government. She worked on issues related to pensions.

In 2011, she was promoted to Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. This was a more senior role. In 2013, she became Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. In this role, she talked about helping people find jobs. She also discussed how to manage welfare benefits.

She was re-elected as an MP in the 2015 general election.

Return to Backbenches

After the 2015 election, Rachel Reeves did not join the new Labour leader's team. She worked as a backbench MP. This means she was not in a leadership role within her party.

She became a close friend of Jo Cox, another MP. After Jo Cox's death in 2016, Rachel Reeves gave a moving tribute in Parliament.

From 2017 to 2020, she was the chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee. This committee looks at how businesses, energy, and industry work in the UK. She was re-elected as an MP in 2017 and 2019.

Joining Keir Starmer's Team

In 2020, Keir Starmer became the new leader of the Labour Party. He asked Rachel Reeves to join his team. She became the Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer

Official MP portrait, 2017

In May 2021, Rachel Reeves was given an even bigger role. She became the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. This meant she was the Labour Party's main spokesperson on economic matters. She challenged the government's financial plans.

As Shadow Chancellor, she talked about making the economy stronger. She focused on improving how businesses work and creating jobs. She also suggested plans to bring railways back under public ownership.

Chancellor of the Exchequer (2024-present)

Reeves appointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer by Keir Starmer, 5 July 2024

In the 2024 general election, Rachel Reeves was elected as the MP for Leeds West and Pudsey. The Labour Party won the election. On 5 July 2024, Rachel Reeves was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer. This made her the first woman in history to hold this important position.

When she took office, she said her main goal was to encourage private businesses to invest in Britain. She believes this will help the economy grow. She also announced that her first budget would be in October 2024.

She established the National Wealth Fund. This fund aims to attract private money to invest in important projects in Britain. These projects include clean energy and manufacturing.

In July 2024, she announced some changes to government spending. She confirmed pay rises for public sector workers. She also made some cuts to other areas to manage public finances. For example, some winter fuel payments were changed. She also cancelled some planned infrastructure projects.

Reeves holding the red box

On 30 October 2024, Rachel Reeves presented her first budget. This was a historic moment as it was the first budget delivered by a woman. In this budget, she announced some tax changes. These changes were designed to help the country's finances.

The Speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, spoke to Rachel Reeves in October 2024. He reminded her about the rules for announcing government information. Major announcements should be made in Parliament first.

Political Ideas

Economy

Rachel Reeves has studied economics for a long time. She has written about the 2008 financial crisis. She believes in using economic policies to help people and the country.

Securonomics

Since 2022, Rachel Reeves has talked about an economic idea called "securonomics." This idea is about making the economy stronger and more secure. It focuses on things like good infrastructure, education, and a strong workforce.

She believes that the government should play an active role in guiding the economy. This includes supporting industries and making supply chains stronger. It also means working closely with other countries that have similar economic goals. She thinks this approach will help the UK economy grow and be more stable.

Transport

Rachel Reeves has supported big rail projects like High Speed 2. She also campaigned for local train stations in her area.

Education

Rachel Reeves believes that all children should have access to good education. She supports comprehensive schools, which are open to all students. She has said she wants to see more children educated in these schools. She thinks that private schools separate children based on how wealthy their parents are. She has supported ideas to integrate private schools into the state system.

Culture

Ribbons by Pippa Hale

Rachel Reeves has supported local cultural projects. In 2008, she helped save the historic Bramley Baths. She also helped create a new sculpture in Leeds called Ribbons. This sculpture celebrates women who have contributed to the city.

Poverty

Rachel Reeves has spoken about poverty. She believes that even people with jobs can struggle financially. She has called for benefits to increase to help reduce poverty. She also supports plans to create more nurseries and free breakfast clubs for children. These ideas aim to help families and reduce child poverty.

Foreign Policy

Russia and Ukraine

Rachel Reeves has strongly condemned the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. She called for strong actions against Russia. She wanted to see more sanctions to pressure Russia. She also expressed concern about certain weapons being sent to Ukraine.

Brexit and European Union

Rachel Reeves campaigned for the UK to remain in the European Union (EU) in 2016. After the UK voted to leave, she called for a new immigration policy. She also wanted the UK to have good access to the EU's single market. She believes that leaving the EU has made the country poorer. However, she has said that the Labour Party would not rejoin the EU.

China

Rachel Reeves has talked about the importance of the UK's relationship with China. She believes the UK should reduce its reliance on China for basic needs. This is to protect national security. However, she also supports trade links with China. She believes trade benefits the UK economy.

Writing

Rachel Reeves has written several books. In 2010, she wrote Why Vote Labour?. This book explained why people should vote for the Labour Party.

In 2017, she published a biography called Alice in Westminster: The Political Life of Alice Bacon. This book is about Alice Bacon, Baroness Bacon, an important Labour politician. Alice Bacon was the first woman to represent a Leeds area in Parliament.

In October 2023, her book The Women Who Made Modern Economics was published. This book highlights the contributions of women in economics.

Personal Life

Rachel Reeves is married to Nicholas Joicey. He is a civil servant. They have two children, a daughter and a son. They have homes in Leeds and London.

She is a Christian. She has spoken about her faith publicly.

Images for kids

Rachel Reeves' signature

Rachel Reeves facts for kids

Contents