Rachel Reeves speaks out after she broke down in tears in the House of Commons

Rachel Reeves has said she was ‘clearly upset’ during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, but felt it was her job to be on the front bench.

The Chancellor spoke out for the first time since breaking down in tears as Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch faced off against Sir Keir Starmer in the House of Commons.

Afterwards, her spokesperson declined to give more details about why she appeared to be so distressed at PMQs, saying only it was a ‘personal matter’.

At an event to unveil the government’s 10-year plan for the NHS in England this afternoon, Reeves also declined to share more information about the situation.

She said: ‘Clearly I was upset yesterday and everyone could see that. It was a personal issue and I’m not going to go into the details of that.

‘My job as Chancellor at 12 o’clock on a Wednesday is to be at PMQs next to the Prime Minister, supporting the government and that’s what I tried to do.

‘I guess the thing that maybe is a bit different between my job and many of your viewers’ is that when I’m having a tough day it’s on the telly and most people don’t have to deal with that.’

Asked why he did not appear to offer any support or comfort to Reeves in the chamber, Starmer described PMQs as ‘pretty wired’.

He said: ‘It goes from question to question, and I’m literally up and down, looking at who’s asked me a question, thinking about my response, and getting up and answering it.

‘So it wasn’t just yesterday, no Prime Minister ever has had side conversations during PMQs.’

The PM added: ‘I was probably the last to appreciate anything else going on in the chamber, and that’s just a straightforward human explanation.’

The lack of a clear explanation for Reeves’ emotion has led to some speculation about whether it was a result of her role or relationships with colleagues.

She appeared to have a disagreement with Speaker Lindsay Hoyle ahead of PMQs over her response to being told to keep her answers short in an earlier Parliamentary session.

Other reports of rows with Deputy PM Angela Rayner or Starmer himself have, however, been denied.

And in his interview with the BBC, the Prime Minister said: ‘It’s got nothing to do with politics, nothing to do with what’s happened this week.

‘It was a personal matter for her. I’m not going to intrude on her privacy by talking to you about that, it’s a personal matter.’

However, Conservative MP Alicia Kearns questioned the decision to keep the Chancellor on the front bench for the session regardless of the reasons.

She wrote on X: ‘Rachel shouldn’t have been put on the frontbench today. Those around her should have protected her as is their duty as her friends and colleagues.

‘They should also have recognised a Chancellor’s demeanour affects confidence in our economy which they have a duty to protect as well.’

Bond yields – a key measure of economic trust in the UK government – rose during uncertainty over whether Reeves would remain in her role, before falling again this morning amid reassurance she would stay.

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