Rachel Reeves
Encyclopedia
Rachel Jane Reeves is a British
economist and a Labour Party
politician
who has been the Member of Parliament
for Leeds West
since 2010. She served as Shadow Pensions Minister from October 2010 until October 2011, when she was appointed as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
by Ed Miliband
.
to Graham and Sally Reeves. She was educated at Cator Park School for Girls in Bromley
, South East London
. She cites the influence of her father on herself and her sister supporting the Labour Party, recalling how when she was eight years old he pointed out Neil Kinnock
on the television and "told us that was who we voted for". Reeves says both her and her sister had "both known we were Labour since then". She joined the Labour Party at age 16, motivated by her experiences at her school in Kent under the Thatcher and Major governments where, she has stated that, there were not enough textbooks to go around, after school activities such as music and sports were cut, special needs teaching was scrapped and libraries were converted into classrooms.
She read politics, philosophy and economics at New College, Oxford
, followed by an MSc
in Economics
from the London School of Economics
.
and British Embassy in Washington, D.C.
between 2000 and 2006. Between 2006 and July 2009, she worked as a business planner and analyst for Halifax Bank of Scotland (now part of Lloyds Banking Group
).
She stood as the Labour Party candidate in the Conservative safe seat
Bromley and Chislehurst in the 2005 general election
where she finished second. She again contested the seat in the 2006 by-election
following the death of sitting MP Eric Forth
and finished fourth. Reeves' support reduced from 10,241 votes to 1,925 in what was described as a "humiliation" for Labour. The result was the worst performance for a governing party since 1991.
seat at the at the 2010 General Election. She was selected by the Labour Party to contest the seat from an all-women shortlist imposed by Labour head office. She defended the Labour safe seat
replacing John Battle
, who had chosen to retire. Reeves was elected with a majority of 7,016 on 6 May 2010, a 5,794 reduction in majority compared to her predecessor, becoming the first female to represent a Leeds constituency since Alice Bacon, who was an MP in the city for 25 years until 1970.
In her maiden speech
, delivered on 8th June 2010, Reeves praised the work of her predecessor, John Battle, and pledged to fight for jobs, growth and prosperity for Leeds West. Reeves also pledged to follow in Battle's footsteps and fight for justice for the victims of the Armley asbestos disaster and their families. In a series of questions in Parliament, Reeves enquired whether the government would honour promises by the previous government to compensate victims of asbestos diagnosed with pleural plaques and bring legislation into force making it easier to pursue claims against insurers.
Since becoming an MP, Reeves was elected to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Select Committee and was appointed Shadow Pensions Minister in October 2010. In her role as Shadow Pensions Minister she campaigned against the Government's proposed acceleration of equalising state pensions ages for men and women. She was promoted to the post of Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
in October 2011.
Reeves is a supporter of the High Speed Rail campaign, raising the issue in Parliament, as well as campaigning for the proposed Kirkstall Forge railway station
. She is also involved in the campaign to save the historic Bramley Baths and the campaign to save the children's heart unit at the Leeds General Infirmary
.
, and European Journal of Political Economy. Following her election as MP, Reeves wrote about the direction of UK government fiscal policy in Renewal, the Journal of Social Democracy. In an article entitled "The Politics of Deficit Reduction", Reeves offers her critique of the current financial situation and efforts to bring down the budget deficit.
Following similar titles by Roy Jenkins
in 1959 and Tony Wright
in 1997, Reeves wrote the new edition of Why Vote Labour?, as part of a series giving the case for each of the main political parties at the 2010 general election.
Reeves regularly contributes articles to publications such as LabourList
, Progress Online and Comment is Free. She is currently writing a biography of Alice Bacon, the only other female to have served as a Member of Parliament for a Leeds constituency.
, director of the international department HM Treasury
. and a former private secretary and speech writer to Gordon Brown
. She lives in Kirkstall
, Leeds
, and London. Reeves younger sister, Ellie, is a member of Labour's ruling National Executive and sits on Labour's Joint Policy Committee.
Reeves spends her free time swimming, reading and walking. Reeves is a patron of Bramley Elderly Action and a trustee of Leeds Healthy Living Network. She was previously on the board of BARCA - Leeds and a governor of Swallow Hill Community College, and Kirkstall Valley Primary School.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
economist and a Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who has been the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Leeds West
Leeds West (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds West is a borough constituency in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire which is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
since 2010. She served as Shadow Pensions Minister from October 2010 until October 2011, when she was appointed as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury is the third most senior ministerial position in HM Treasury, after the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer . In recent years, the office holder has usually been given a junior position in the British Cabinet...
by Ed Miliband
Ed Miliband
Edward Samuel Miliband is a British Labour Party politician, currently the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition...
.
Background
Reeves was born in LewishamLewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
to Graham and Sally Reeves. She was educated at Cator Park School for Girls in Bromley
Bromley
Bromley is a large suburban town in south east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Bromley. It was historically a market town, and prior to 1963 was in the county of Kent and formed the administrative centre of the Municipal Borough of Bromley...
, South East London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. She cites the influence of her father on herself and her sister supporting the Labour Party, recalling how when she was eight years old he pointed out Neil Kinnock
Neil Kinnock
Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock is a Welsh politician belonging to the Labour Party. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1970 until 1995 and as Labour Leader and Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition from 1983 until 1992 - his leadership of the party during nearly nine years making him...
on the television and "told us that was who we voted for". Reeves says both her and her sister had "both known we were Labour since then". She joined the Labour Party at age 16, motivated by her experiences at her school in Kent under the Thatcher and Major governments where, she has stated that, there were not enough textbooks to go around, after school activities such as music and sports were cut, special needs teaching was scrapped and libraries were converted into classrooms.
She read politics, philosophy and economics at New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
, followed by an MSc
MSC
- Computers:* Mario Strikers Charged* Microsoft Common Console Document, file for the Microsoft Management Console* Microelectronics Support Centre* Microsoft Corporation* MIDI Show Control* Message Sequence Chart...
in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
from the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
Career
Reeves worked as an economist at the Bank of EnglandBank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
and British Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
between 2000 and 2006. Between 2006 and July 2009, she worked as a business planner and analyst for Halifax Bank of Scotland (now part of Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Banking Group plc is a major British financial institution, formed through the acquisition of HBOS by Lloyds TSB in 2009. As at February 2010, HM Treasury held a 41% shareholding through UK Financial Investments Limited . The Group headquarters is located at 25 Gresham Street in London, with...
).
She stood as the Labour Party candidate in the Conservative safe seat
Safe seat
A safe seat is a seat in a legislative body which is regarded as fully secured, either by a certain political party, the incumbent representative personally or a combination of both...
Bromley and Chislehurst in the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
where she finished second. She again contested the seat in the 2006 by-election
Bromley and Chislehurst by-election, 2006
A by-election was held in the UK parliament constituency of Bromley and Chislehurst in London, following the death of Conservative Member of Parliament Eric Forth on 17 May 2006. The writ for the electing of a new member was issued on 6 June for a polling day of 29 June 2006, the same day as the...
following the death of sitting MP Eric Forth
Eric Forth
Eric Forth was a British politician. He was the Conservative Member of the European Parliament for Birmingham North, then Member of Parliament for Mid Worcestershire and finally Bromley and Chislehurst at his death. He served as a junior minister in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John...
and finished fourth. Reeves' support reduced from 10,241 votes to 1,925 in what was described as a "humiliation" for Labour. The result was the worst performance for a governing party since 1991.
Member of Parliament
Reeves moved to Leeds in 2006 to seek the nomination for the Leeds WestLeeds West (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds West is a borough constituency in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire which is represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
seat at the at the 2010 General Election. She was selected by the Labour Party to contest the seat from an all-women shortlist imposed by Labour head office. She defended the Labour safe seat
Safe seat
A safe seat is a seat in a legislative body which is regarded as fully secured, either by a certain political party, the incumbent representative personally or a combination of both...
replacing John Battle
John Battle (politician)
John Dominic Battle, KC*SG is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Leeds West from 1987 to 2010.-Early life:...
, who had chosen to retire. Reeves was elected with a majority of 7,016 on 6 May 2010, a 5,794 reduction in majority compared to her predecessor, becoming the first female to represent a Leeds constituency since Alice Bacon, who was an MP in the city for 25 years until 1970.
In her maiden speech
Maiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
, delivered on 8th June 2010, Reeves praised the work of her predecessor, John Battle, and pledged to fight for jobs, growth and prosperity for Leeds West. Reeves also pledged to follow in Battle's footsteps and fight for justice for the victims of the Armley asbestos disaster and their families. In a series of questions in Parliament, Reeves enquired whether the government would honour promises by the previous government to compensate victims of asbestos diagnosed with pleural plaques and bring legislation into force making it easier to pursue claims against insurers.
Since becoming an MP, Reeves was elected to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is a ministerial department of the United Kingdom Government created on 5 June 2009 by the merger of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform .-Ministers:The BIS...
Select Committee and was appointed Shadow Pensions Minister in October 2010. In her role as Shadow Pensions Minister she campaigned against the Government's proposed acceleration of equalising state pensions ages for men and women. She was promoted to the post of Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury is the third most senior ministerial position in HM Treasury, after the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer . In recent years, the office holder has usually been given a junior position in the British Cabinet...
in October 2011.
Reeves is a supporter of the High Speed Rail campaign, raising the issue in Parliament, as well as campaigning for the proposed Kirkstall Forge railway station
Kirkstall Forge railway station
Kirkstall Forge is a proposed station between Leeds and Shipley, West Yorkshire, England. Metro, the Passenger Transport Executive for West Yorkshire, intends to open the station along with Apperley Bridge....
. She is also involved in the campaign to save the historic Bramley Baths and the campaign to save the children's heart unit at the Leeds General Infirmary
Leeds General Infirmary
Leeds General Infirmary, also known as the LGI or, more correctly, The General Infirmary at Leeds, is a large teaching hospital based in the centre of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England and is part of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust....
.
Writing
Reeves has written on the financial crisis of 2007–2010 for the Fabian Review, Institute of Public Policy Research, Socialist Environment and Resources AssociationSocialist Environment and Resources Association
The Socialist Environment and Resources Association , founded in 1973, is an independent environmental association affiliated to the UK Labour Party as a socialist society. More recently it has used the name 'SERA - the Labour Environment Campaign', rather than its full name.SERA campaigns to...
, and European Journal of Political Economy. Following her election as MP, Reeves wrote about the direction of UK government fiscal policy in Renewal, the Journal of Social Democracy. In an article entitled "The Politics of Deficit Reduction", Reeves offers her critique of the current financial situation and efforts to bring down the budget deficit.
Following similar titles by Roy Jenkins
Roy Jenkins
Roy Harris Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead OM, PC was a British politician.The son of a Welsh coal miner who later became a union official and Labour MP, Roy Jenkins served with distinction in World War II. Elected to Parliament as a Labour member in 1948, he served in several major posts in...
in 1959 and Tony Wright
Tony Wright (Cannock Chase MP)
Dr. Anthony Wayland Wright is a British Labour Party politician and author, who was the Member of Parliament for Cannock Chase from 1997 to 2010...
in 1997, Reeves wrote the new edition of Why Vote Labour?, as part of a series giving the case for each of the main political parties at the 2010 general election.
Reeves regularly contributes articles to publications such as LabourList
LabourList
LabourList is a British aggregated weblog supportive of, but independent of, the Labour Party. Launched in January 2009, the site overcame its founding editor's involvement in the so-called "smeargate scandal" to become one of the most popular and influential political websites in Britain with...
, Progress Online and Comment is Free. She is currently writing a biography of Alice Bacon, the only other female to have served as a Member of Parliament for a Leeds constituency.
Personal life
Reeves is married to Nicholas JoiceyNicholas Joicey
Nicholas Beverley Joicey is the director of the International Department at HM Treasury. He previously worked as private secretary and speech writer to United Kingdom chancellor Gordon Brown and as a journalist at The Observer newspaper....
, director of the international department HM Treasury
HM Treasury
HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy...
. and a former private secretary and speech writer to Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
. She lives in Kirkstall
Kirkstall
Kirkstall is a suburb of north-west Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, on the eastern side of the River Aire. To the west is Bramley, to the east is Headingley and to the north is West Park. Kirkstall is around from the city centre and is close to the University of Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan...
, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, and London. Reeves younger sister, Ellie, is a member of Labour's ruling National Executive and sits on Labour's Joint Policy Committee.
Reeves spends her free time swimming, reading and walking. Reeves is a patron of Bramley Elderly Action and a trustee of Leeds Healthy Living Network. She was previously on the board of BARCA - Leeds and a governor of Swallow Hill Community College, and Kirkstall Valley Primary School.