Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has launched an extraordinary personal attack on Chancellor Rachel Reeves, just moments after she delivered her highly anticipated autumn Budget statement.
A Budget Response Turns Personal
In a dramatic diversion from criticising Labour's announced tax hikes, Ms Badenoch used her speech in the House of Commons to directly target Ms Reeves. She accused the Chancellor of 'wallowing in self-pity' and 'whining about mansplaining and misogyny'.
The confrontation came after Ms Reeves, who made history as the UK's first female chancellor, revealed in an interview with The Times that she was 'sick of people mansplaining how to be chancellor to me'. She had spoken out about the 'misogynistic' criticism she faced in the lead-up to the crucial Budget announcement.
Clashing Views on Equality and Respect
Ms Badenoch offered a starkly different perspective on the nature of the criticism directed at the Chancellor. 'People are not complaining because she is female, they are complaining because she is utterly incompetent,' she told MPs.
She framed her argument around her interpretation of equality, stating, 'Real equality means being held to the same standards as everyone else, being judged on results. She says she wants people to respect her: respect is earned.'
The attack did not go entirely unchallenged from within her own party. Former home secretary and fellow Conservative James Cleverly had previously stated on Times Radio that Ms Reeves was 'right' about the misogyny in politics, acknowledging the abuse female colleagues endure.
Intense Scrutiny and Historical Pressure
The context for this clash was a Budget process marked by intense pressure. Ms Reeves faced the daunting task of addressing a £20 billion black hole in the public finances, with commentators dubbing the event a 'make-or-break' moment for her career.
In the days before the statement, she was subjected to nicknames like 'Rachel from accounts' and 'Rachel from complaints'. Speaking to The Times, she acknowledged the unique pressure of being the first woman in the role, saying she felt the need to prove herself to the 'boys who now write newspaper columns'.
'I recognise that I've got a target on me,' she said. 'You can see that in the media; they're going for me all the time. It's exhausting. But I'm not going to let them bring me down.'
This is not the first time Ms Reeves's conduct has been criticised by Ms Badenoch. Earlier this year, the Conservative leader hit out after Ms Reeves was seen crying during Prime Minister's Questions, an incident the Chancellor later attributed to a personal issue.
The political fallout from this heated post-Budget exchange is likely to continue, highlighting deep divisions not just on economic policy, but on the very nature of gender and criticism in modern British politics.
