Rachel Reeves

Chancellor of the Exchequer

Rachel Reeves

Chancellor of the Exchequer

Rachel Reeves is a British Labour politician who became the first female Chancellor of the Exchequer in 2024, following Labour's general election win. Born in 1979 in Lewisham, London, she studied PPE at Oxford and earned a master’s in economics from the LSE. Before entering politics, she worked as an economist at the Bank of England and HBOS. Reeves has been the MP for Leeds West (now Leeds West and Pudsey) since 2010, holding several key shadow cabinet roles before being appointed Shadow Chancellor in 2021. As Chancellor, she introduced major tax reforms, public sector pay increases, and a National Wealth Fund, while also making some controversial cuts. She is married with two children, and her sister, Ellie Reeves, is also a Labour MP. In 2023, she faced criticism over plagiarism in her book on women economists, with her publisher promising corrections.

Chancellor Axes British Art History in Favor of Covid Lockdown Masterpieces

Rachel Reeves removed 31 artworks from No 11, replacing portraits of men such as Isaac Newton, William Pitt, and Henry Pelham with abstract paintings depicting "Covid anxiety" and social distancing. The Chancellor's action was criticized for being "ashamed to embrace British history and tradition". The removals include depictions of former prime ministers Benjamin Disraeli, King James I and II, which were replaced by art commemorating the Covid lockdowns.

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