Chancellor Rachel Reeves has described the time she broke down in tears during Prime Minister's Questions last year as her 'toughest moment' as Chancellor. The incident, which occurred in July 2025, sparked widespread confusion and speculation that she might be removed from her role, coinciding with the first anniversary of Labour's election victory.
In an interview with the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg, Reeves was asked about her hardest moment in two years as Chancellor. She laughed and replied: 'I would say, don't cry on national television. That was probably my toughest moment – or perhaps even tougher, seeing the photos of me crying on national television on the front pages of every newspaper the following day.'
Details of the Emotional Incident
Reeves appeared distressed while sitting behind Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Parliament. She has never revealed the specific reasons for her breakdown, but in the interview, she added that even that moment was better than 'the 14 years in opposition' when she was unable to make changes to the country.
Pressed on why she was crying, she said: 'It was a tough day, we all have tough days. I talk to my friends, and people wrote to me saying “that happened to me once,” and the only difference is that I was on the telly. People have difficult days at work, and that was one for me.'
In an interview the day after the incident, Reeves said 'a personal issue' was behind her emotional state and declined to go into details. She has previously spoken about how she saw it as her 'job as Chancellor' to sit behind the PM at midday every Wednesday.
Potential Replacement by Incoming PM
Reeves' sit-down chat with Kuenssberg may prove to be one of her final interviews as Chancellor, with incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham expected to switch her out at the Treasury. Among the top candidates to replace her are Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, and former Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
Reflecting on her time at No 11, Reeves said: 'I will go down in history as the first female Chancellor. But what I really hope is that – something I said, actually, when I gave my first speech as Chancellor, that I would know my time in office was a success if young women and girls felt there should be no ceiling on their ambition. And I do know, and I do believe, that there are young women today who say, “Maybe I could do that job one day.” That’s a great thing.'
