Rachel Reeves

Rachel Jane Reeves (born 13 February 1979) is a British politician who has been the Chancellor of the Exchequer since July 2024.^[1] She is a member of the Labour Party. She has been the Member of Parliament for Leeds West and Pudsey, formerly Leeds West, since 2010.

The Right Honourable Rachel Reeves MP
Official portrait, 2024
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 July 2024
Prime Minister	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Jeremy Hunt
Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee
In office 12 July 2017 – 6 May 2020
Preceded by	Iain Wright
Succeeded by	Darren Jones
Shadow portfolios 2021–2024 Chancellor of the Exchequer 2020–2021 Duchy of Lancaster 2020–2021 Cabinet Office 2013–2015 Work and Pensions 2011–2013 Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Member of Parliament for Leeds West and Pudsey Leeds West (2010–2024)
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 May 2010
Preceded by	John Battle
Majority	12,392 (32.2%)
Personal details
Born	Rachel Jane Reeves (1979-02-13) 13 February 1979 (age 46) Lewisham, London, England
Political party	Labour
Spouse(s)	Nicholas Joicey [en]
Relations	Ellie Reeves (sister)
Children	2
Residence	11 Downing Street, London
Education	Cator Park School for Girls
Alma mater	University of Oxford (BA) London School of Economics (MSc)
Website	www.rachelreevesmp.co.uk

Early life and education

Born in Lewisham, London, Reeves studied at Oxford New College and the London School of Economics before working as an administrative manager at the Bank of England, the British Embassy in Washington and HBOS.

Political career

She was elected in the 2010 general election. Then she served in Ed Miliband's shadow cabinet as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2011 to 2013. She also worked as Shadow Secretary for Work and Pensions from 2013 to 2015. Reeves did not return to the shadow cabinet following Jeremy Corbyn's election as Leader of the Labour Party in 2015. Instead she served as chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee from 2017 to 2020.

After Keir Starmer was elected Leader of the Labour Party in 2020, he appointed Reeves as Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. She replaced Anneliese Dodds as shadow chancellor in May 2021.

Following Labour's landslide victory in the 2024 general election, Reeves was appointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer. She became the first woman to hold the office of Chancellor in its 708-year history.^[2][3][4] She made her first statement as Chancellor two days later, announcing measures to grow the economy. Reeves also announced her first budget would be released later in the year in the autumn.^[5][6]

Personal life

Reeves is married to Nicholas Joicey,^[7] a civil servant and Gordon Brown's former private secretary and speech writer.^[8] The couple have homes in Leeds (Bramley) and London.^[9][10] Reeves announced her first pregnancy on 20 September 2012^[11] and gave birth to a daughter,^[12] and in 2015 to a son.^[10]