The Chancellor was visibly distressed, wiping tears from her cheeks as Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch tore into the government ’s climbdown over welfare the previous evening. According to Reeves’ spokesperson, the reason she was upset was a ‘personal matter, which – as you would expect – we are not going to get into’.

Rachel Reeves has appeared in public with Sir Keir Starmer a day after breaking down in tears alongside the Prime Minister in the Commons. The public show of unity came after Sir Keir gave her his full backing and said he did not appreciate how upset she was in the Commons because he was focused on answering Prime Minister’s Questions.