Rachel Reeve, Kate Garraway and Richard Madeley
Photo by ITV

Richard Madeley Grills Rachel Reeves Over ‘Exaggerated’ CV in Fiery GMB Showdown

London, Jan 31, 2025 — In a fiery live broadcast on ITV’s “Good Morning Britain,” presenter Richard Madeley, 68, aggressively challenged Chancellor Rachel Reeves, 45, over allegations that she had exaggerated her professional résumé, earning her the pejorative nickname “Rachel from accounts.”

The heated exchange unfolded as Madeley meticulously dissected Reeves’ career history within a rapid 20-second barrage, highlighting discrepancies in her tenure at prominent financial institutions. “You said you’ve worked at the Bank of England for a decade. In fact, it was only six years, and one of those years was at the London School of Economics doing a Master’s course. So that’s five years and not a decade,” Madeley asserted, directly questioning the Chancellor’s honesty, reported by the Daily Mail.

He further scrutinized Reeves’ claimed positions, stating, “It was stated that you worked as an economist at the Bank of England, British embassy in Washington, and, latterly, the Halifax Bank of Scotland. But according to your former colleagues in your actual job, you actually worked in a support department at Scottish bank, and you sort of helped out with admin and it and that’s all earned you the nickname of Rachel from accounts.”

Madeley pressed Reeves on the integrity of her CV, asking, “Did you? Did you enhance your CV to make yourself look better qualified to be the Chancellor of the Exchequer if you won the election.”

Reeves appeared visibly uncomfortable under the relentless questioning. She responded, “I’m really proud of the jobs that I did before I became a member of parliament,” attempting to defend her professional history. However, Madeley was unrelenting, challenging her further: “Why did you say that you worked at the Bank of England for a decade, when, in fact, it was, well, it wasn’t even six years. It was five. I mean, that’s exaggeration, isn’t it?”

Reeves clarified her tenure, stating, “Well, I worked for the Bank of England for six years, between 2002 and 2006,” but offered no additional explanation for the initial misrepresentation. Instead, she shifted focus to her current role, asserting, “I think people want to judge me on the job that I’m doing today as Chancellor of the Exchequer. I’m qualified to do this job, but in the end, people are going to judge me. Am I growing the economy? Am I improving their living standards? I’m determined to do just that.”

The confrontation comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Reeves’ professional background. In November, the Chancellor amended her online CV after admitting she was not an economist during her tenure at the Bank of Scotland. She removed the title “economist” from her LinkedIn profile, altering her role to “retail banking” for her period at the bank from 2006 to 2009. This revision prompted accusations from the Conservative Party, branding her actions as “deception” and labeling her as “economical with the truth.”

A Labour source defended Reeves, stating, “Ms Reeves worked in retail banking covering various areas drawing on her background as an economist. Her LinkedIn has been updated to reflect that.” However, a Tory party source criticized her, claiming, “It seems Rachel Reeves employment history claims are about as accurate as her promises not to raise taxes on working people – based on deception and increasingly proved false.”

Shadow Justice Minister Robert Jenrick also weighed in, remarking, “Reeves said she was an economist. Turns out she’s just economical with the truth.”

Reeves began her career at the Bank of England, working there from 2000 to 2006, including a secondment at the British embassy in Washington. She later moved to Leeds to work for the retail division of Halifax Bank of Scotland before entering politics as a Member of Parliament.

The intense grilling by Madeley underscores the critical importance of transparency and accuracy in the careers of public officials. As Reeves continues to serve as Chancellor, questions about her qualifications and honesty may persist, impacting public trust and her political standing.

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