Who gained from Rachel Reeves's tears? She did
Sorrow, frustration, rage … crying can signify many things. But a predominantly male political commentariat, startled by Rachel Reeves's tears at PMQs, has overlooked another function of public tears: as an act of aggression, a warning and a threat, a subtle indication of defiance.
Tears can say, 'Watch it. You may push me too far.' This, I speculate, is what the chancellor was signalling to her boss as she sat beside him in the Commons.
I might be wrong. Perhaps as her allies insist there was something very private. But in the absence of any indication as to its nature we can only guess, and mine is that there had been a bitter (and, indeed, 'personal') eleventh-hour head-to-head with the prime minister. Her tears probably embarrassed her, but weeping comes from somewhere deeper than the conscious mind: it can be an instinctive, passive-aggressive response to being thwarted.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
22 minutes ago
- The Independent
We banned cigarette ads for the good of public health – fossil fuels must be next
There was a time when doctors in both the United States and the UK were only too happy to promote 'the health benefits of smoking '. From the 1920s right through to the 1950s, actors were taken on to play the part of doctors to promote different cigarette brands, with the companies vying in their claims for the level of support they had among the medical profession, as in 'more doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette'. Today, this sounds completely outlandish. But I'm reminded that my own father, an eminent surgeon here in the UK, would have been completely comfortable about these adverts. As someone who smoked cigarettes (and then a pipe) enthusiastically for 60 of his 90-year lifespan, he was slow to embrace the increasingly authoritative research links between smoking and cancer. It was clear to me, as a rebellious teenager, that he was a complete addict. As was my mother. As was my sister. And brother. Unfortunately, many people are still addicted to nicotine today. But it's our addiction to fossil fuels that is causing by far the greatest damage to people and the planet. Improbably, back in 2006, it was the then US president, George W Bush, who acknowledged in his State of the Union address that 'we have a serious problem'. 'America is addicted to oil, which is often imported from unstable parts of the world.' He was particularly concerned about imports from Iran. What comes around … That's why today's debate in Parliament is so important. MPs are discussing a petition calling for a ban on fossil fuel advertising and sponsorship, much like the existing bans on tobacco advertising. The petition, signed by more than 110,000 people, argues that such advertisements 'encourage the use of products and sponsorship promotes a positive reputation and creates a social licence of trust and acceptability'. The debate reflects growing public concern about the legitimacy of fossil fuel companies sponsoring cultural, sporting and educational events. Societal addiction is even more of a problem than individual addiction. And those whose job it is today to reinforce that collective addiction to fossil fuels – through advertising, public relations, marketing and sponsorship – are no less reprehensible than those agencies which profited so handsomely from promoting cigarettes over many, many decades. It's a surreal situation we find ourselves in. Governments are committed in principle – with varying degrees of ambition, integrity and policy consistency – to transitioning away from fossil fuels, by far the most important priority in terms of getting to grips with the climate crisis. Yet their actions belie that intent at every turn. To cite but one example, government subsidies to fossil fuel companies in 2023 amounted to an astonishing $1.4 trillion. And this is just the tip of the problem, as the level of advertising by fossil fuel companies at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone at the weekend demonstrated. The easiest way to understand the astonishing reach of the fossil fuel incumbency is to see it as a global imperial power, operating in every corner of the Earth, regardless of the political status of countries – whether democracies, autocracies or failing states – subject only to partial and ineffective regulation by those countries once they've been effectively 'captured'. This is achieved by the limitless amounts of money and other inducements the industry has deployed throughout that time to persuade politicians where their best interests lie. Equally limitless amounts of money are available for marketing and advertising campaigns of every description, for sponsorship arrangements and for high‑profile charitable activities. What is even more extraordinary is that none of these companies has ever, at any stage in their history, been required to pay for the social and environmental costs incurred in bringing their products to market. Governments have simply permitted them to 'externalise' the cost of all those billions of tonnes of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. That doesn't mean those costs disappear: it means that they're paid by individuals and communities affected by their often grotesque polluting activities, by the environment – in the form of pollution of soil, water and forests – and, of course, by future generations. Which is why Elisa Morgera, the UN's special rapporteur on human rights and climate change, is now urging the UN General Assembly to support a total ban on both lobbying and advertising by the fossil fuel industry. She is pressing for its continuing, pernicious misrepresentations about the reality of the climate crisis to be criminalised. Emphasising the obligation that all states have to inform their citizens about climate change, she could not have been clearer that the 'fossil-fuel playbook' needs to be completely shredded. At the heart of her report to the UN General Assembly is the conviction that continuing to promote fossil fuels – directly and indirectly – represents an astonishing betrayal of young people today. There's never been an incumbency as pervasive and powerful as this one. It's not just the companies themselves, comprehensively dominating the visible foreground, that make up this incumbency, but just behind the scenes there is an even more extensive network of financial and professional interests that provides the funding; facilities; insurance, legal and consultancy services; and the vast array of transport, infrastructure, logistics and retail businesses that distribute and sell the industry's products. Whichever way you look at it, this is indeed such a shocking example of intergenerational injustice that it's hard to believe the level of invective young climate campaigners are subjected to simply for trying to get today's 'grown‑ups' to start paying a bit more attention. Any suggestion that the industries primarily responsible for these current and future bills should now be held to account – both politically and financially – is still peremptorily dismissed as unworldly or, worse yet, as prejudicial to shareholder interests and to capitalism itself. We must start to address these issues. A ban on fossil fuel advertising – which is already being adopted by cities like Edinburgh and Sheffield, and by other local authorities – would be an ideal first step. This would mean, for example, ending fossil fuel sponsorship of our leading cultural institutions – including BP's long-standing sponsorship of the British Museum and Science Museum; its arrangement with the Tate galleries ended in 2017 after protests by climate change activists. It would also put a stop to advertising by oil and gas companies on the London Underground. Only then can we say we're getting serious about undertaking the much‑needed total transformation in our relationship with the fossil fuel industry.
Telegraph
23 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Labour refuses to shield state pension from ‘retirement tax'
Labour has rejected a petition calling for the personal allowance to be raised to protect state pensioners from income tax. The Treasury said the tax-free personal allowance would not be raised for retirees – a move campaigners have called a 'betrayal' of the elderly. Millions of Britain's poorest retirees face being dragged into the tax net when the state pension breaches the £12,570 tax-free threshold in a move which has been dubbed the 'retirement tax'. Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, has committed to keeping income tax thresholds frozen until at least 2028, a policy introduced under the Tories. Last week she refused to rule out extending the freeze beyond this date. However, the new 'full' state pension of £11,973 a year, paid to 12.9 million people aged 66 and over, is set to breach as early as next year. The triple lock ensures that the state pension rises each April by the highest of inflation, average earnings or 2.5pc. If average earnings continue to grow at their current rate of 5.2pc, then the state pension will exceed the tax-free allowance for the first time next year. This will mean pensioners – many of whom rely solely on the state pension for their income – will be taxed at 20pc on the portion above £12,570. In March, the Silver Voices campaign group submitted a petition with 125,000 signatures to Number 10 and the Chancellor calling on the Government to lift the personal allowance threshold for pensioners and to commit to raising it in line with future triple lock rises. However, the Treasury last week rejected the idea of 'exempting the state pension and other benefits' from income tax as doing so would 'add complexity to the tax system'. Dennis Reed, director of Silver Voices, said the 'inadequate' response had 'stuck two fingers up' at pensioners who felt 'insulted and betrayed' by the Government. He added: 'The British state pension isn't a king's ransom and it's very difficult to survive on at the moment, even without getting taxed on it. 'Keeping thresholds frozen is a backhanded way of taxing the state pension and triple lock, which is often people's only source of income. 'Extending the freeze to 2030 will make the situation even worse.' The threshold freeze helped to push an extra 2.5 million pensioners into the tax net under the Tories' 14 years in power. Ahead of the general election last year, the Conservatives proposed raising the personal allowance in line with the triple lock for pensioners to shield them from a 'retirement tax'. Analysis by wealth manager Quilter suggests that an extra one million low-income pensioners would be taxed on their state pension if Labour were to extend the freeze until 2030. 'Giving with one hand and taking with the other' Baroness Altmann, a former Tory pensions minister, said: 'Inevitably, if the state pension keeps going up and the threshold doesn't, more and more pensioners are going to pass the threshold with their state pension income alone. 'Those with no other income are increasingly going to find that the Government is giving with one hand and taking with the other. There's likely to be a lot of upset. 'Also, if you only have the state pension, an increase is only going to take you slightly over the threshold by a few pounds, the cost of administering it could well be more than the amount of tax they will collect.' It comes as the former Labour leader Lord Kinnock said the Party is 'willing to explore' a new wealth tax of 2pc on assets over £10m. In its response to the campaign, a Treasury spokesman said: 'Exempting the state pension and other benefits from income tax would add complexity to the tax system and those paying higher rates of tax would receive the greatest benefit. 'Individuals earning above the higher rate threshold would benefit more than those with incomes below, and those earning below the personal allowance would not benefit at all. 'It would also be expensive at a time when the Government has inherited a very challenging set of fiscal circumstances.'
BBC News
26 minutes ago
- BBC News
Starmer joins packed St Paul's memorial service on anniversary of 7/7 London bombings
Update: Date: 11:50 BST Title: Mayor of London reads a passage from the Bible Content: Back inside the Cathedral, we've just finished hearing from the mayor of London. Sadiq Khan stood at the front of St Paul's to read a short passage from the Bible. "So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known," Khan reads. Candles on long sticks were then carried along the central aisle of St Paul's Cathedral as a woman sang. Update: Date: 11:47 BST Title: Badenoch, Khan and Duchess of Edinburgh attend service Content: Before the memorial service got under way, we received a couple more pictures of some of the noteworthy figures joining the packed Cathedral. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, the Duchess of Edinburgh and Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, were all seen a short while ago before taking their seats inside. Update: Date: 11:44 BST Title: Memorial service under way inside St Paul's Cathedral Content: Inside St Paul's a section of music played as people took their seats underneath the Cathedral's famous dome. The Dean of St Paul's Cathedral Andrew Tremlett started the memorial service by saying they are marking the "solemn anniversary of an act of terror inflicted on our city on this day 20 years ago". He adds: "We come to honour the memory of those who died, to stand by the survivors and to give thanks to those who responded with courage and compassion." This was followed by another reading and then more music from the choir. Update: Date: 11:36 BST Title: Starmer and former PM May arrive at St Paul's Cathedral Content: The memorial service is now under way inside St Paul's Cathedral. Let's bring you some of the latest images which have come to us in the last few moments. Former Prime Minister Theresa May is seen arriving at St Paul's Cathedral prior to the memorial service Representatives of the Salvation Army, London Ambulance Service, Metropolitan Police and London Underground line the steps Update: Date: 11:29 BST Title: Bells of St Paul's signal start of memorial service Content: London falls silent with only the sound of the bells of St Paul's Cathedral echoing across the capital. The tolling bells signal the start of the memorial service. A reminder, you can watch live to coverage by clicking Play at the top of this page. Update: Date: 11:28 BST Title: The victims of the Tavistock Square attack Content: The youngest of the bombers, Hasib Hussain, detonated his device on a double-decker bus in Tavistock Square, not far from King's Cross. The bombing, the fourth and final attack, took place at 09:47 BST - about an hour after the other explosions. The number 30 bus was torn apart in front of the headquarters of the British Medical Association, where a conference was being held. While medical equipment was lacking, dozens of doctors offered lifesaving expertise. Thirteen people who were on the bus were killed. They were: Click on their names to read their stories. Update: Date: 11:26 BST Title: The victims of the Russell Square attack Content: The most deadly attack occurred on the Piccadilly Line between King's Cross and Russell Square. Germaine Lindsay detonated his bomb next to the rear set of double doors in the front carriage of the packed train, just after it pulled out of King's Cross station at 08:49. Twenty-six people were killed. The victims were: Click on their names to read their stories. Update: Date: 11:25 BST Title: The victims of the Aldgate attack Content: Shehzad Tanweer detonated his device on an eastbound Circle Line train between Liverpool Street and Aldgate at 08:49. The explosion at the rear of the second carriage killed seven people. The victims were: Click on their names to read their stories. Update: Date: 11:23 BST Title: The victims of the Edgware Road attack Content: Ahead of the service we'll take a moment to remember those who died in the attacks. Three of the four bombs went off just before 08:50 BST on Tube trains that had departed King's Cross. Ringleader Mohammad Sidique Khan detonated his device on a westbound Circle Line train heading towards Paddington. The bomb exploded at Edgware Road in the second carriage close to the second set of double doors. It killed six people. The victims were: Click on their names to read their stories. Update: Date: 11:20 BST Title: St Paul's Cathedral fills up ahead of memorial service Content: Anna O'NeillBBC London, reporting from St Paul's Cathedral This it the scene from St Paul's where people have started to arrive for the commemorative service which will be starting shortly. Seen arriving at the church were members of the emergency services including assistant commissioner of London Fire Brigade, Patrick Gouldbourne, Dawn Butler MP, as well as some of the survivors of the attacks and their families. Update: Date: 11:17 BST Title: What's happened so far today Content: Events have been taking place this morning to mark the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 bombings that rocked central London, left 52 people dead and injured more than 700. Here is what has taken place so far: The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will join political leaders in attending the National Service of Commemoration at St Paul's Cathedral which starts at 11:30. Update: Date: 11:14 BST Title: People arrive at St Paul's Cathedral for memorial service Content: Aisling TaylorReporting from St Paul's Cathedral People are arriving at St Paul's Cathedral where the main memorial service is due to start at 11:30. Representatives of Transport for London and the emergency services are lining the steps of the cathedral. The service will be attended by survivors and families of the victims, as well as the prime minister and other leading politicians. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are expected to arrive shortly before the service begins. Update: Date: 11:08 BST Title: 'I hope they realised they weren't alone' Content: Karl MercerPolitical editor, BBC London Craig Cassidy, who has been a paramedic with the London Ambulance Service since 1999, says seeing fatally injured people in the tunnel in Aldgate following the 7/7 bombings is seared into his memory. "You cannot prepare for this kind of thing," he says. "You do what's in front of you, you deal with what you're presented with, knowing that you've never experienced this before, but you've got to get on with it. "I put myself to one side. When I when I'm at work, I'm not Craig. I put my uniform on, I'm a different person, I'm a paramedic." Reflecting on his involvement on the day, he adds: "I hope I did it well. I hope I gave some comfort to some of the people. I hope they realised that they weren't alone at that point. "I've been back to that station many times because I still work in the same area. When I go back in, it's still present with me. "Every one of them was someone's partner, someone's wife, someone's husband, someone's son. Parents should never bury a child, and I knew that was going to be happening." Update: Date: 10:59 BST Title: Londoners displayed bravery and kindness on 7/7, says mayor Content: Sir Sadiq Khan has been speaking to the BBC ahead of the commemoration event at St Paul's Cathedral. The London mayor says he remembers the day of the bombings "vividly" and how he began calling around his family to check they were safe. 'Most of us use the Tube, most of us use the buses. None of us knew whether our family and loved ones were safe. None of us knew if there'd be further attacks that day," he says. "What we did see were remarkable signs of kindness and bravery," the mayor adds. Sir Sadiq praised the emergency services and transport workers who ran towards danger during the attacks, as well as civilians who acted as "guardian angels". 'That's who we are and that's what London is all about. 'What these terrorists hate is our diversity, our way of life. Update: Date: 10:50 BST Title: We will always remember them, says Conservative leader Content: Kemi Badenoch is the latest political leader to pay tribute to the 52 victims and hundreds injured in the 7/7 attacks. "Today, we stand with those who carry the pain of that day, the families, friends and colleagues of those who never came home," the Conservative leader says. "We will remember them always." Update: Date: 10:42 BST Title: 'My sister was killed that day and I'm still angry' Content: The brother of a woman killed on 7/7 says he cannot forgive those behind the bomb attacks, two decades on. On 7 July 2005, 29-year-old Laura Webb was on her way to work in central London when she was killed – one of 52 people who died in co-ordinated attacks on the city. Rob Webb, Laura's older brother, says 7/7 was "an attack on all of us" and should never be forgotten. "I remain angry," says Rob, who lives near Cardiff. "Laura was denied the opportunity of a life that me and my brother have been lucky enough to have - somebody decided to take that away from her. "The pain never goes away - I think of her every day." Read their story here. Update: Date: 10:36 BST Title: 'That should not have been my Tube' Content: James W KellyBBC London As memorial events continue, those who were on the Tube that day continue to share their memories. Sajda Mughal was among the passengers on the Piccadilly line train that left King's Cross. 'I was running late that morning so that should not have been my Tube," she tells BBC Radio 5 Live. 'The Tube leaves King's Cross and it was only 10 seconds into the tunnel, towards Russell Square, it was a massive bang and the train shook as if there'd been an earthquake and it came to a sudden halt." She says the "screams just went on" after what she initially thought was a train derailment. "I never thought it was a bomb." 'My life changed 360 degrees. I went from working in the corporate world - in my early 20s it was my dream to be in London - and then I started working at the grassroots because I wanted to change hearts and minds so that it wouldn't happen again." Update: Date: 10:31 BST Title: 'Amid the horror, we saw the best in people' Content: We hear now from Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, the cabinet minister in charge of counter-terrorism, who says the UK will "always confront the threats facing this country". "Twenty years have passed since 7/7 but the passage of time makes what happened that day no less shocking. It was an appalling attack on our capital city and on democracy itself," she says. "Amid the horror of that day, we saw the best of people, our emergency services, first responders and ordinary Londoners who bravely acted to help one another." Update: Date: 10:23 BST Title: BMA staff lay wreaths at Tavistock Square in emotional tribute Content: Aisling TaylorReporting from Tavistock Square At Tavistock Square British Medical Association (BMA) staff members have been laying flowers under the memorial plaque in front of the BMA building. Some staff members were visibly emotional as they paused to reflect on the events 20 years ago. This is where the fourth and final device detonated on a bus killing 13 passengers onboard. After the blast, doctors inside the BMA building rushed out to help those on the street in front of them. Update: Date: 10:17 BST Title: 'I see the lead bomber's face to this day' Content: Dominic CascianiHome and Legal Correspondent Despite 20 years passing since the 7/7 attack, for Dan Biddle the emotional scarring is as constant a reminder as the physical trauma he was left with that day. The face of the lead suicide bomber, Mohammad Sidique Khan, has never left his memory. "I can be in the kitchen and he is stood in the garden," says Dan, who has complex post-traumatic stress disorder. "He's there, dressed as he was on the day, holding the rucksack, just with his hand above it, about to detonate it again." Even if Dan looks away, the bomber is still there when he looks back. "I saw this guy literally disassemble himself in front of me, and now I'm seeing him again." Read Dan's story here.
