Rachel Reeves’ career as Chancellor hangs in the balance as Prime Minister Keir Starmer made major changes to his team
Rachel Reeves future remains uncertain (Image: Getty)
Rachel Reeves’ future as Chancellor of the Exchequer hangs in the balance, according to journalist Fraser Myers, who joined GB News to address Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recent reshuffle of his team. Following Parliament’s summer recess, the leader declared the start of “phase two” of his government with a number of major changes, including the addition of Labour MP Darren Jones’ move from the Treasury to No 10 to oversee the day-to-day delivery of the Prime Minister’s priorities.
Discussing the shake-up, Fraser told GB News presenters Stephen Dixon and Ellie Costello that this change is all “about freezing Rachel Reeves out of the circle.” He explained: “Darren Jones was essentially Rachel Reeves’ number two in the treasury, so he’s got this new role, sort of Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister.” After sharing that “he’s not super well known to the public,” Fraser added: “He’s well known within the cabinet because he signed off on the spending review.” As for Darren’s new role, the journalist claimed: “It suggests that he [Starmer] doesn’t quite trust Rachel Reeves’ economic advice.”
Darren Jones was moved from the Treasury to Number 10 (Image: Getty)
Fraser continued: “Until now, in fact, going right back to before they even won the election, he [Starmer] seemed pretty content to let Rachel Reeves get on with managing economic matters.
“I think he’s convinced, or No 10’s convinced, that there’s been some major blunders coming directly from the treasury. Think of the Winter Fuel Allowance, which had to be reversed, or think of the botched attempt to cut welfare, which has damaged Keir Starmer’s standing within the Parliamentary party.
“Of course, Keir Starmer is ultimately responsible for these things, but they, I think, would like to put the blame on the treasury.”
After Stephen probed: “How does it work?” the guest shared: “I think it’s more that he wants to go to someone else before having to go to Rachel Reeves. I think it is about freezing her out of the circle.”
‘It’s about freezing Rachel Reeves out of the circle.’
Fraser Myers believes Rachel Reeves’ position is ‘less secure than it was before’ following Keir Starmer’s mini reshuffle.
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Reports suggest the shake-up has been done with an eye on the autumn Budget. Last year’s, the first by a Labour Chancellor for well over a decade, was met with major backlash over the increase in National Insurance contributions for employers.
According to a source via The I, there had been frustration over Ms Reeves’s performance, claiming she “made mistakes and Keir got blamed”, while a Labour MP told The Daily Telegraph the Prime Minister’s appointments were “a signal that [Reeves] is in a weak position, and it’s deteriorating.”
Reflecting on past instances, the GB News guest added: “When this has happened before, when you’ve seen economic advisors drafted into Number 10, it’s actually never a good sign historically.
“Going back to Margaret Thatcher drafting in Alan Walters, who disagreed with Nigel Lawson, that led to his resignation and eventually to her resignation … politicians can get quite territorial over these things in ways that don’t necessarily make sense to the outside world.”
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