Keir Starmer speaks out on Rachel Reeves' tears in the House of Commons
The Prime Minister spoke about Chancellor Rachel Reeves' emotions during PMQs
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves during a visit to Horiba Mira in Nuneaton
(Image: 2025 Getty Images )
Sir Keir Starmer has defended Chancellor Rachel Reeves after she was seen wiping away tears beside him during Prime Minister's Questions. Her emotional appearance in the Commons yesterday prompted speculation, but Starmer dismissed any political link.
He told the BBC it was 'absolutely wrong' to suggest her reaction was connected to Labour's recent welfare policy U-turn. Starmer emphasised that the matter was personal, not political, and urged people not to draw conclusions from a moment of visible emotion in public.
'It's a personal matter for her,' he said, adding that people can be caught off guard by emotion, even in public life. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
Asked by Chris Evans how the Chancellor is, he said: "She's fine. She's very resilient and strong is Rachel.
"She's driven through lots of change in the Labour Party.
"We had to change the Labour Party, we fought an election together and I've seen her resilience."
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He went on: "She's a really powerful woman, and she's also very widely respected.
"And I think the sort of messages of concern that have come in over the last 24 hours or so show the great affection and respect in which she is held."
Rachel Reeves was seen crying during PMQs
(Image: Parliament Live )
Her spokesperson also issued a short statement clarifying that her emotional response had no connection to the government's recent U-turn on disability benefits.
The reversal, involving planned changes to Personal Independence Payments, came amid growing concern within Labour ranks.
Today, Reeves is expected to make a brief public appearance before Starmer's major speech on the NHS.
Speaking to Virgin Radio this morning, the PM reiterated that her tears were 'purely personal' and not tied to her work or party tensions.
He said they had spoken at length on Wednesday evening, and reassured the public that she was "doing fine."
Starmer added: "But we are humans in the end and sometimes personal things are obviously on our minds and, in this case, that was the situation."
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