Who is Rachel Reeves, UK's first female Chancellor of Exchequer?

The Labour Party leader succeeds Jeremy Hunt of the Conservatives as the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Published on: Jul 5, 2024, 21:58:54 IST

By HT News Desk, New Delhi

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Labour Party leader Rachel Reeves created history on Friday after she was appointed by Sir Keir Starmer, the UK's new Prime Minister, as his Chancellor of the Exchequer (equivalent to a finance minister), making Reeves the first woman to hold the coveted post.

Britain's new Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves leaves 11 Downing Street in London on July 5, 2024 as cabinet appointments are made, a day after Britain held a general election. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)

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“It is the honour of my life to have been appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer. Economic growth was the Labour Party's mission. It is now a national mission. Let's get to work,” she posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Who is Rachel Reeves?

(1.) Born on February 13, 1979, in southwest London, Reeves became Labour's finance policy chief in 2021, and served as the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer under Starmer, then the Leader of the Opposition.

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(2.) A former chess champion and an ex-Bank of England (BoE) economist, she was also seconded to the British embassy in Washington and the British bank Halifax/Bank of Scotland (HBOS).

(3.) Reeves, who joined Labour at the age of 16, became a Member of Parliament (MP) for the first time in 2010, contesting from the Leeds West constituency. She retained the seat in the 2015, 2017, and 2019 polls.

(4.) In the July 4 general election, she became the first MP of the newly created Leeds West and Pudsey constituency. Her sister Ellie Reeves is also a Labour Party member.

“It is an honour and privilege to be returned as the MP for Leeds West and Pudsey. You have put your trust in me. And I will not let you down,” the former wrote on X.

(5.) The 45-year-old, who succeeds Jeremy Hunt of the Conservatives as the Chancellor of the Exchequer, studied at New College, Oxford, and the London School of Economics (LSE).

(With agency inputs)

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