Rachel Reeves facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rachel Reeves
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Official portrait, 2024
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| Chancellor of the Exchequer | |||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 5 July 2024 |
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| Prime Minister | Keir Starmer | ||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Jeremy Hunt | ||||||||||||||
| Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee | |||||||||||||||
| In office 12 July 2017 – 7 April 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Iain Wright | ||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Darren Jones | ||||||||||||||
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| Member of Parliament for Leeds West and Pudsey Leeds West (2010–2024) |
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| Assumed office 6 May 2010 |
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| Preceded by | John Battle | ||||||||||||||
| Majority | 12,392 (32.2%) | ||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||
| Born |
Rachel Jane Reeves
13 February 1979 Lewisham, London, England |
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| Political party | Labour | ||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Nicholas Joicey | ||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Relatives | Ellie Reeves (sister) | ||||||||||||||
| Residences | 11 Downing Street, London | ||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | |||||||||||||||
| Signature |  |
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Rachel Jane Reeves (born 13 February 1979) is a British politician. She became the Chancellor of the Exchequer in July 2024. This makes her the first woman in history to hold this important job in the UK.
Rachel Reeves is a member of the Labour Party. She has been a Member of Parliament (MP) since 2010. She represents the area of Leeds West and Pudsey. Before that, she represented Leeds West.
She joined the Labour Party when she was a teenager. She studied at New College, Oxford, and the London School of Economics. After her studies, she worked at the Bank of England and then at HBOS.
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Early Life and Education
Rachel Jane Reeves was born on 13 February 1979 in Lewisham, London. Her parents were both teachers. She went to Cator Park School for Girls in Beckenham.
When she was younger, Rachel was very good at chess. She even won a British Under-14 girls chess championship! After school, she studied politics, economics, and philosophy at New College, Oxford. She then earned a master's degree in economics from the London School of Economics.
Her first job was at the Bank of England. Later, she moved to Leeds in 2006 to work for HBOS. Rachel says her father influenced her and her sister, Ellie Reeves, to be interested in politics. She joined the Labour Party when she was sixteen.
Political Journey
Becoming an MP
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Rachel Reeves first tried to become an MP in 2005. She stood for the Labour Party in an area called Bromley and Chislehurst. She didn't win that time.
In 2010, she was chosen to run for the Leeds West seat. She won this election and became an MP on 6 May 2010.
Important Roles in Opposition
After becoming an MP, Rachel Reeves took on several important roles for the Labour Party. These roles are called "shadow portfolios" because she was part of the "Shadow Cabinet." This group of politicians checks what the government is doing.
- From 2011 to 2013, she was the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
- From 2013 to 2015, she was the Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. In this role, she talked about how Labour would manage benefits.
After Jeremy Corbyn became the Labour leader in 2015, Rachel Reeves spent some time as a "backbencher." This means she was an MP but not in the Shadow Cabinet. From 2017 to 2020, she chaired the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee. This committee looks at how businesses and energy work in the UK.
When Keir Starmer became Labour leader in 2020, he gave Rachel Reeves new roles. She became the Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. She also became the Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office.
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
In May 2021, Rachel Reeves became the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. This is a very important job in the Shadow Cabinet. It means she was the main person in the Labour Party dealing with money and the economy.
As Shadow Chancellor, she talked about her economic ideas. She focused on "modern supply-side economics." This means she believes in helping the economy grow by investing in things like education, infrastructure (like roads and bridges), and training people for jobs. She also talked about "securonomics." This idea is about making the economy stronger and more secure, especially after global changes. It's inspired by US President Joe Biden's economic plans.
She said that a Labour government would be good for businesses and would manage money carefully. She also said that Britain would not rejoin the European Union or its single market.
In 2024, she announced that Labour would not raise corporation tax if they came into power. She also changed a plan for climate investment. She said the amount of money for green projects would be less than first planned. This was to be careful with public money and avoid criticism.
Chancellor of the Exchequer
After the Labour Party won the 2024 general election, Rachel Reeves became the Chancellor of the Exchequer. This is one of the most powerful jobs in the UK government. The Chancellor is in charge of the country's money and economy.
She is the first woman ever to hold this position in its 708-year history. When she took office, she said that there isn't a lot of money available. So, her main goal is to encourage private businesses to invest. She believes that private investment is key to a successful economy.
Interests and Views
Rachel Reeves has written about the 2007–2008 financial crisis. She has also supported the High Speed 2 rail project. This is a plan for a new fast train line in the UK. She also helped save the historic Bramley Baths in Leeds.
She is a vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel. This group supports good relations between the Labour Party and Israel.
Books and Writing
Rachel Reeves has written several books.
- In 2010, she wrote a book called Why Vote Labour?.
- In 2017, she published a biography about another Labour politician, Alice Bacon. The book is called Alice in Westminster: The Political Life of Alice Bacon. Alice Bacon was the first woman to represent a Leeds area in Parliament.
- In 2023, her book The Women Who Made Modern Economics was published. This book looks at the contributions of women to economic ideas.
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.
Her younger sister, Ellie Reeves, is also a Labour MP.
Images for kids
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Rachel Reeves' signature
See also
In Spanish: Rachel Reeves para niños
