Rachel Reeves
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Rachel Jane Reeves (born 13 February 1979) is a British politician serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer since July 2024, and the first woman to be appointed to the post. Previously, she was Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2021. A member of the Labour Party, she has been the Member of Parliament for Leeds West since the 2010 general election.
Quotes
[edit]- I guess you could say that, moving from banking, I am one of the few people entering politics to be going to a more popular profession.
- After her selection as prospective parliamentary candidate for Leeds West, as cited by Allegra Stratton in "Waiting in the wings, the new generation hoping to revitalise the Labour party", The Guardian (19 March 2009)
- Reeves had previously worked for the Bank of England and HBOS.
- Until this government's formation just over a year ago, every generation of women has enjoyed greater opportunity. My great-grandmother was a cockle picker on the south coast of Wales, my grandmother worked in shoe factories, and my mother is a primary school teacher. But this expectation that women of the next generation will do better than the one before is now fundamentally threatened.
- "Don't turn back the clock for women", The Guardian (8 June 2011)
- Unless you take swift action in the wake of a financial crisis the problems stick around for 10 to 20 years.
- "Newcomer fears pain of Tory austerity", Financial Times (24 November 2011)
- The real cause of what is happening now is a terrorist attack. If Britain or any other country was attacked by terrorists, we would believe, and rightly so, that we have every right to defend ourselves, to get back hostages and to protect our citizens.
Israel is no different. It has every right to defend itself. [...]
Of course, it has to abide by international rules of engagement.- Speaking on the Today programme (9 October 2023), as cited in Sophie Wingate "Reeves rejects suggestions Hamas attack caused by Israel's 'occupation’ of Gaza", The Independent (9 October 2023).
- On 7 October, the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel led to the deaths of around 1,200 Israelis, the largest number of Jews murdered since the 1940s.
- I want to see a Palestinian state existing alongside a safe and secure Israel and what frustrates me so much is that what Hamas has done over the last few days has set back the cause of peace that I am so desperate to see in the Middle East and that people across Labour are desperate to see in the Middle East.
But terrorism is not the way to get there and I am appalled by what we have seen.- Speaking on Times Radio, as cited in "You must believe Hamas are terrorists to be in Labour, says Rachel Reeves", The Telegraph (9 October 2023)
- I also know that many of you have concerns closer to home, about the antisemitism, the anti-Zionism and the anti-Israeli feeling that is allowed to flourish in some communities in Britain.
And so we stand alongside you here at home as well and will ensure that the police do everything within their powers to hold responsible anybody who behaves in that way here at home. And we stand in solidarity with the Jewish community here in Britain, not just today but every single day.- At a Labour Friends of Israel event (10 October 2023), as cited in "Rachel Reeves under fire over call for 'police to crack down on anti-Zionists'", The National (Glasgow, 25 February 2024)
- The leader of the opposition (Labour's) Sir Keir Starmer, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper and shadow foreign secretary David Lammy were also present. After the 2024 general election, the four politicians entered government in the Starmer ministry.
- “I feel like in many ways, I’m standing on their shoulders… I believe the biggest impact that I can make to the lives of ordinary women, women who go out to work, is to close the gender pay gap once and for all.”
- Rachel Reeves vows to close gender pay gap ‘once and for all’ if she is chancellor THE GUARDIAN (19 Jun 2024)
- “I’m not going to let [critics] stop me from doing what this government’s got a mandate to do, and that is to grow the economy, to make working people better off.”
- UK finance minister Reeves vows to keep taking difficult decisions Reuters (January 17, 2025)
- “In too many areas, regulation still acts as a boot on the neck of businesses, choking off the enterprise and innovation that is the lifeblood of growth.”
- Reeves says rules and red tape are ‘boot on the neck’ of business THE GUARDIAN ( JULY 2025)
- “The global economy has become more uncertain … The increased global uncertainty has had two consequences. First, on our public finances. And second, on the economy.”
- UK's Reeves announces budget update to parliament THE STRAITS TIMES ( Mar 26, 2025)
- “These fiscal rules are non-negotiable. They are the embodiment of this government’s unwavering commitment to bring stability to our economy.”
- Health, defence and schools: UK’s Reeves sets out spending plans INVESTING.COM (06/11/2025)
- “We are renewing Britain. But I know that too many people in too many parts of our country are yet to feel it. This government’s task, my task as Chancellor and the purpose of this spending review is to change that.”
- Health, defence and schools: UK’s Reeves sets out spending plans INVESTING.COM ( 06/11/2025)
- “This is going to be the most pro-growth, pro-business Treasury that this country has ever seen.”
- “We have seen global economic uncertainty play out in the last week. But leadership is not about ducking these challenges, it is about rising to them. The economic headwinds that we face are a reminder that we should – indeed, we must – go further and faster in our plan to kick-start economic growth.”
- “Growth … is now our national mission.”
- “This government was given a mandate. To restore stability to our country, and to begin a decade of national renewal. … To deliver that investment we must restore economic stability and turn the page on the last 14 years
- UK’s Labour government raises taxes by £40 billion in new budget planCNBC ( Oct 30 2024)
- “The government will change its self-imposed debt rules in order to free up billions for infrastructure spending … so that we can grow our economy and bring jobs and growth to Britain.”
- REDDIT (OCTOBER24,2024)
- “The most recent GDP … are very positive … That is good news and does show we are beginning to turn the corner.”
- UK's Reeves says economy is turning a corner but public restless REUTERS ( JUNE6,2025)
- “Without growth, we cannot cut hospital waiting lists or put more police on the streets. … Without growth, we cannot meet our climate goals… or give the next generation the opportunities that they need to thrive.”
- Chancellor vows to go further and faster to kickstart economic growth GOV.UK (29 January 2025)
- “I’m confident that our plans, far from increasing poverty, will actually result in more people having fulfilling work, paying a decent wage to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.”
- UK government defends welfare cuts as economists warn 250,000 could fall into poverty EURONEWS ( 27/03/2025)
- “These fiscal rules are non-negotiable. They are the embodiment of this government’s unwavering commitment to bring stability to our economy.”
- UK’s Reeves announces budget update to parliamentINVESTING.COM ( 03/26/2025)
- “Today I am taking immediate action to fix Britain’s economic foundations. … By growing our economy we can rebuild Britain and make every part of the country better off.”
- Chancellor unveils a new era for economic growthGOV.UK (8 July 2024)
- “That is why we on this side of the house are serious about taking the action needed to grow our economy. Backing the builders, not the blockers.”
- Economic growth forecast halved as Reeves blames global instability THE STANDARD (26 March 2025)
