Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves cried at Prime Minister's Questions in July last year. According to Daily Mail - News, Rachel Reeves described regretting going to PMQs that day, saying she would not have attended if she had known what would happen. She also stated she would not apologize for crying, arguing that people should not have to apologize for such emotions.
Downing Street issued a statement after the incident confirming Rachel Reeves had Prime Minister Keir Starmer's full backing and was 'going nowhere'. No 10 denied claims of an angry showdown between the Prime Minister and Chancellor, and reports of a bust-up between Rachel Reeves and then-Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner were also denied. The pound fell sharply and the Government's borrowing costs jumped after the incident amid rumors about Rachel Reeves's future.
Well, I regret going to PMQs — but you know, if I'd have known that was going to happen, obviously I wouldn't have gone. I expect most of your Mumsnet users would've had a day at work when they felt overcome with emotion for whatever reason. I guess the difference in my job is that the TV cameras are on when that happens. So I'm not gonna apologise for crying. I don't think people should do that. But I think next time I feel like doing that, I’ll stay in the office.
Rachel Reeves's Commons breakdown came at a time her position was under intense scrutiny following the Government's U-turn on welfare cuts. Rachel Reeves spoke about the incident in an interview with Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts. According to Daily Mail - News, Rachel Reeves described planning to stay in the office next time she feels like crying, rather than appearing in public.
A spokesman for the Chancellor said the crying incident was a personal matter they would not get into. A Whitehall source said the Chancellor revealed she was feeling the heat following a disastrous period for the Government. Prime Minister Keir Starmer refused to guarantee Rachel Reeves would remain in her position after the incident.
I've got enough things to worry about at the moment - there's the conflict in the Middle East rather than pictures of me looking a little bit upset.
The exact impact of the incident on Rachel Reeves's political standing and authority within the government remains unclear, as does whether there were any substantive policy disagreements between Rachel Reeves and other senior ministers at the time. What specific personal matter caused Rachel Reeves to cry at PMQs has not been disclosed, and it remains unknown whether Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to Rachel Reeves immediately after she cried in the Commons chamber. The full details of the Government's U-turn on welfare cuts that preceded the incident have also not been fully clarified.