The Mirror’s Sophie Huskisson was in the room for Rachel Reeves’s first public appearance since she was seen crying in the Commons during PMQs – here’s what happened inside
It was clear at the start of the week that today’s NHS 10-year plan launch was likely to be overshadowed by the devastating Labour rebellion over welfare reforms.
What hadn’t been yet clear was that a whole new distraction – the image of Chancellor Rachel Reeves crying in the Commons over a personal matter – was going to be on everyone’s mind this morning.
As I arrived to the health centre venue in east London, rumours were swirling that Ms Reeves would attend the long-awaited announcement of the NHS plan. No10 soon confirmed to me that she would indeed be there.
Next came the news that she’d be speaking. As the journalists waited together outside the event, we all asked one another: What would she say, will she and the PM hug, will she address her tears during PMQs yesterday?
It was clear the self-proclaimed “Iron Chancellor” wanted to come out fighting. And if we believe the descriptions from her Cabinet colleagues that she is an “extraordinarily resilient” person, it is no surprise she would want to put on a display of strength this morning, in the face of the raw human emotion seen yesterday.
As we entered the stage area, the swelteringly hot room felt like an apt atmosphere for a Government who is struggling to bring down the political and emotional temperature. Huge towering lights, a series of TV cameras and journalists and photographers, all hawked over the small, claustrophobic room, reminding us of the sort of daunting spaces politicians must come under all the time.
I spotted Treasury and No10 aides first, looking serious and focused, at the back of the room. Then came Ms Reeves, flanked by PM Keir Starmer and Health Secretary Wes Streeting. An applause erupted for the three of them, but it felt as though it was for the Chancellor – which was proven later when the claps for her continued longer than usual when she went up to the podium.
The Chancellor did not address her tears as she gave a short speech to the nation, speaking only about the NHS event and how she had pumped money into the health service. While in many a sense, it was a poor decision not to address yesterday’s emotions, as it opened the door to a barrage of questions from journalists after, it showed the Chancellor as we know her.
Ms Reeves, who was wearing a similar, if not the same, suit she wore to introduce the Autumn Budget, the first one ever set out by a female Chancellor, was there to praise the economy under the Labour government. “We fixed the foundations and we’ve put our economy back on a strong footing,” she said. It was the reassurance the markets needed, after getting spooked last night following her tears.
The Q&A was the toughest part for Ms Reeves to endure. Clearly a decision had been made that she was not going to speak – with a short TV interview planned for after the event. But it meant the PM was left to field questions about her, while she sat on the side lines, nodding and smiling.
Mr Starmer was asked why he didn’t react to her tears during PMQs, whether she would say something about her tears, whether the Chancellor was under too much pressure. They went on and on, with all eyes on Ms Reeves for her reaction.
What was troubling me as I watched Ms Reeves, smiling, nodding and keeping her composure, as a room full of people spoke about her, was that we now know this is a mask. For the markets, the mask might do, to steady the pound and rally Government bonds. But it leaves us with the sad reality that we now all know Ms Reeves, behind the scenes, is facing something deeply upsetting.
“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…. 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,” she later admitted.
At the end of the event, the health workers there swarmed around Ms Reeves and Mr Starmer to take selfies. Our Iron Chancellor grinned, laughed and socialised for the camera-phones in her face.
Whether a mask or not, does it matter? As Ms Reeves herself later said: “Today’s a new day and I’m just cracking on with the job.”