Rachel Reeves, the first female chancellor of the exchequer, has revealed she is unable to remove a urinal from her office toilet because it is listed and cannot be altered. The urinal remains in her private bathroom in Whitehall despite earlier reports that it would be taken out after the general election.
Appearing on the News Agents podcast, Ms Reeves invited host Emily Maitlis to see the urinal, stating: 'I am the first female chancellor of the exchequer, the post has existed for between 800 and 1,000 years, depending on who you listen to, and I was wondering, Emily, whether you would like to, on the way out, come and have a look at the chancellor’s toilet to see the urinal that still is in there.'
Co-host Jon Sopel reacted with surprise, asking: 'You’ve still got a urinal?' while Ms Maitlis laughed. Ms Reeves clarified that she was not inviting Mr Sopel in but would be delighted to show Ms Maitlis. The Independent understands that, alongside the urinal, the chancellor’s office also has a toilet she can sit on.
Ms Reeves has spoken movingly about being the first female chancellor, saying after the election: 'To every young girl and woman reading this, let today show that there should be no limit to your ambitions.' She has promised to break glass ceilings and end the gender pay gap, highlighting barriers that leave women disproportionately in certain sectors and out of the workplace after having children.
