Kemi Badenoch took a swipe at Rachel Reeves during PMQs today, pointing out that she looked ‘absolutely miserable’, while Keir Starmer gave no conclusive answer to questions about her future role.
The Chancellor was spotted looking visibly upset with a tear rolling down her cheek this afternoon following the disappearance of her planned welfare cut savings amid last night’s parliamentary rebellion.
Initially projected to save £5 billion annually, the cuts were scrapped after a last-minute reversal by the Prime Minister just 90 minutes before the critical vote, leaving the Chancellor with a significant deficit to address through tax measures in the upcoming Budget.
During PMQs, Kemi Badenoch said: “She looks absolutely miserable! She looks absolutely miserable. Labour MPs are going on the record to say that the Chancellor is toast, and the reality is she is a human shield for his incompetence.”
Badenoch then asked: “In January he said she would be in post until the next election, will she really?”
The Prime Minister simply retorted that Ms Badenoch “certainly won’t”, to which Badenoch replied: “How awful for the Chancellor that he couldn’t confirm that she will stay in place.”
Online chatter about Ms Reeves’ appearance at PMQs was rampant, with GB News presenter Emily Carver suggesting it seemed as though the Chancellor ‘has been crying’, reports the Express.
Her tweet read: “Rachel Reeves looks like she’s been crying. I’m not surprised. After last night, she’s the one who has to pick up the pieces.”
Providing an update after PMQs ended, BBC News politics reporter Joe Pike said he had spoken with a minister and was reassured Ms Reeves is ‘totally fine’. He posted on X: “A minister on Reeves: ‘She’s totally fine. I’ve just been to her office and spoken to her and she’s fine. There’s nothing to worry about’.”
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