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Tears in Parliament as Rachel Reeves Future Thrown Into Doubt After Chaotic Welfare Vote

Rachel Reeves

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Tears in Parliament as Rachel Reeves Future Thrown Into Doubt After Chaotic Welfare Vote

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It was an emotional day in Westminster as Chancellor Rachel Reeves was spotted wiping away a tear in the Commons. Sat beside Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, Reeves looked visibly upset as pressure mounted following a chaotic benefits vote that’s thrown her future into question.

As the Prime Minister faced a grilling during Prime Minister’s Questions, he pointedly avoided confirming that Reeves would remain in her job until the next general election. The silence didn’t go unnoticed.

Downing Street later tried to calm the storm, insisting Reeves “is going nowhere” and that she has Sir Keir’s “full backing.” A spokesperson for the Chancellor said she was upset over a “personal matter,” although behind-the-scenes whispers suggested she’d been told off by Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle just before PMQs for giving long-winded answers the day before.

There were also rumours of a heated exchange between Reeves and the PM shortly before the session began, though both No10 and No11 have flatly denied it.

Markets weren’t reassured. The uncertainty sent the pound tumbling. Sterling dropped 1.14% against the US dollar and 0.8% against the euro, sinking to its lowest point since April. The jitteriness was fuelled by questions over whether Reeves will still be in post long enough to see through her economic plans.

Starmer himself was forced to appear before MPs on Wednesday to explain why he’d gutted a key part of Labour’s welfare reform agenda at the last minute. The climbdown has created a nearly £5 billion black hole in Reeves’ fiscal strategy, sparking fresh speculation that tax hikes could be on the way before the end of the year.

Kemi Badenoch didn’t hold back during PMQs, saying Reeves looked “absolutely miserable” and challenging Starmer directly to confirm whether she would keep her job. He swerved the question, simply quipping that Badenoch “certainly won’t” be Chancellor herself. The jibe didn’t land well with critics, who said the lack of clarity only made things worse.

In a touching moment, Reeves’ sister, Labour minister Ellie Reeves, was seen holding her hand as they left the chamber. When asked about Reeves’ tears, her spokesperson stayed tight-lipped: “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”, reported the Guardian.

Downing Street later reiterated that Starmer has made his support for Reeves “very clear” and that she isn’t going anywhere. “He has said it plenty of times, he doesn’t need to repeat it every time the Leader of the Opposition speculates about Labour politicians,” a spokesperson added.

Behind all the personal drama lies a political headache. Starmer had to ditch plans to tighten eligibility for personal independence payments (Pip) after a revolt from Labour backbenchers, narrowly avoiding his first defeat in the Commons. The changes are now on hold until after a full review that won’t conclude until autumn 2026.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies warned that this retreat means Reeves is unlikely to achieve any meaningful savings from welfare reform by 2029-30, a crucial year for hitting her fiscal targets.

Badenoch called the U-turn “humiliating,” accusing the PM of failing to control his party and being too weak to lead. But Starmer stood by the overhaul, insisting the revamped welfare bill would be better for individuals, taxpayers and the economy.

“If you can work, you should work,” he said. “If you need help into work, the state should provide the help… If you can’t work, you must be supported and protected.”

The drama isn’t over yet. But for Reeves, the personal has now collided with the political, and all eyes will be on whether she can weather the storm.

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