Challenges in the Life of Rachel Reeves in a Detailed Timeline

Life is full of challenges, and Rachel Reeves faced many. Discover key struggles and how they were overcome.

Rachel Reeves is a prominent British Labour Party politician currently serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer since July 2024. She has been a Member of Parliament for Leeds West (formerly Leeds West and Pudsey) since 2010. Prior to her current role, Reeves held several significant positions within the Shadow Cabinet, including shadow ministerial portfolios between 2010 and 2015, and from 2020 to 2024. Her career reflects a consistent rise within the Labour Party ranks.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles

2005: Stood as Labour candidate for Bromley and Chislehurst

In 2005, Rachel Reeves stood as the Labour Party parliamentary candidate in Bromley and Chislehurst, finishing second.

2006: Contested the Bromley and Chislehurst by-election

In 2006, Rachel Reeves contested the Bromley and Chislehurst by-election, finishing in fourth place.

May 2009: Left HBOS via voluntary redundancy

In February 2025, the BBC reported that Rachel Reeves had left HBOS via voluntary redundancy in May 2009.

2016: Campaigning to remain in the European Union

In 2016, Rachel Reeves campaigned to remain in the European Union (EU) in the Brexit referendum. After the result was in favour of leaving in the EU, Reeves called for a stricter immigration policy by an end to free movement as part of the Brexit deal, but also called for the 'greatest possible access' to the single market without having free movement.

February 2022: Condemnation of Russian invasion of Ukraine

In February 2022, Rachel Reeves condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine. She co-authored a letter with Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Shadow International Trade Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds, calling for further sanctions including widening export controls to include luxury goods, expanding the number of banks prevented from accessing sterling, applying sanctions to wealth under family members' names, expanding sectoral sanctions to cover insurance, and sanctioning Vladimir Putin and an expanded list of oligarchs.

October 2023: Condemnation of Hamas attack on Israel

In October 2023, Rachel Reeves condemned the Hamas attack on Israel. She defended Israel's right to defend itself within international rules, dismissed pro-Palestinian events at the Labour conference, stated Gaza is not occupied by Israel, and advocated for a Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel, while opposing terrorism as a means to achieve it.

November 2023: Calls for Restraint in Gaza

In November 2023, Rachel Reeves expressed concern over the situation in Gaza, particularly regarding innocent civilians and babies in hospitals. She urged Israel to show restraint and allow essential supplies into Gaza's hospitals. She also called on Rishi Sunak's government to pressure Benjamin Netanyahu's government for restraint and defended Keir Starmer's stance on a ceasefire, emphasizing the need for negotiation.

February 2024: Climate investment policy halved

In February 2024, Starmer and Reeves announced that the £28 billion per year climate investment policy would be halved due to the economic situation and to prevent Conservative criticism. Reeves stated that the goal was to bring jobs to Britain, reduce energy bills, boost energy security, and decarbonize the economy. The home insulation grants part of the policy would be most heavily curtailed, to protect schemes such as a publicly owned Great British Energy clean energy company and a sovereign wealth fund.

October 2024: Reprimanded for leaking budget information

On 28 October 2024, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, reprimanded Rachel Reeves in the Commons for giving information to journalists in the US about the upcoming Budget, in contravention of the ministerial code.

2024: Views on Immigration and Brexit

In 2024, Rachel Reeves stated in an interview with the Financial Times that immigration was a leading cause of the country voting to leave in the referendum, saying that when her constituents voted to leave it was "purely because of immigration".

January 2025: Resignation of Economic Secretary Tulip Siddiq

In January 2025, Rachel Reeves' Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Tulip Siddiq, resigned after being named in Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission.