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Sir Keir Starmer has declined to say that chancellor Rachel Reeves will remain in her post until the tip of parliament, during a combative Prime Minister’s Questions following Labour’s dramatic gutting of its welfare bill last night.
Reeves, who sat beside Starmer during PMQs on Wednesday, was visibly upset and appeared to shed a tear because the prime minister stopped wanting giving her his full backing when asked about her future by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.
Starmer, who has previously publicly backed Reeves, said he was “thankful” for the chancellor however the absence of full-throated support will increase speculation that her position is under threat.
Reeves has grow to be a goal for rebel anger over Labour’s handling of the welfare reforms.
Badenoch said the chancellor was getting used by Starmer as “a human shield for his incompetence”.
It is a developing story