Rachel Reeves
Rachel Jane Reeves (born 13 February 1979) is a British politician and economist serving as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer since 2021. A member of the Labour Party, she has been Member of Parliament for Leeds West since 2010.
Rachel Reeves | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Official portrait, 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 9 May 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader | Keir Starmer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Anneliese Dodds | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 5 April 2020 – 9 May 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader | Keir Starmer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Francis Maude (2010) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Angela Rayner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
De facto 5 April 2020 – 9 May 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader | Keir Starmer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Jon Trickett | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Angela Rayner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 12 July 2017 – 6 May 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Iain Wright | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Darren Jones | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Member of Parliament for Leeds West | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 6 May 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | John Battle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Majority | 10,564 (26.2%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Rachel Jane Reeves 13 February 1979 Lewisham, London, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Labour | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse | Nicholas Joicey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Relatives | Ellie Reeves (sister) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Website | Official website | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Reeves studied at New College, Oxford and the London School of Economics before working as an economist at the Bank of England, the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., and HBOS. Elected at the 2010 general election, she served in Ed Miliband's Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2011 to 2013 and Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from 2013 to 2015.
Reeves became a backbencher following Jeremy Corbyn's election as Labour leader in 2015, and served as chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee from 2017 to 2020. After Keir Starmer was elected as leader in 2020, he appointed Reeves as Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office, shadowing Michael Gove. In May 2021, she replaced Anneliese Dodds as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer.
As Shadow Chancellor, Reeves has adhered to "modern supply-side economics", an economic policy which focuses on infrastructure, education and labour supply by rejecting tax cuts and deregulation. In 2023, she coined the term "securonomics" to refer to her version of this economic policy.