Chancellor Rachel Reeves appeared to cry during this afternoon’s PMQs. The news came as Kemi Badenoch launched a savage attack on the Chancellor, saying she “looks absolutely miserable” while Keir Starmer refused to guarantee that she would keep her position in Government. A spokesperson for Reeves said her demeanour was related to a “personal issue”.

The Conservative  wasn’t the only one to notice Reeves’s mood, as social media users took to X to say the Chancellor looked likeleader she had been crying. Emily Carver posted on X: “Rachel Reeves looks like she’s been crying. I’m not surprised. After last night, she’s the one who has to pick up the pieces.” ITV Editor Paul Brand said: “A tear just rolled down the Chancellor’s cheek at #PMQs as the PM refuses to answer whether or not she’ll stay in her job. Hayfever, or something else?”

Kemi Badenoch asked Sir Keir Starmer if he could guarantee the future of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s position. She said MPs are going on the record “saying the Chancellor is toast”. Badenoch said: “She is a human shield for his incompetence.” She added: “In January he said she would be in post until the next election, will she really?”

Starmer evaded the question and referenced the £22 billion black hole that the Tories left in the economy. The Tory leader replied: “How awful for the Chancellor that he couldn’t confirm that she will stay in place.”

A spokesman for Rachel Reeves said, of her upset: “It’s a personal matter, which – as you would expect – we are not going to get into. The chancellor will be working out of Downing Street this afternoon.”

Despite the Prime Minister not backing her in the Commons, Downing Street insisted she was “going nowhere” and had Sir Keir’s “full backing”.

Changes to restrict eligibility to the personal independence payment (Pip) were abandoned on Tuesday night to limit a Labour revolt, wiping out the savings that Ms Reeves had counted on to help meet her goal of funding day-to-day spending through tax receipts rather than borrowing.

Mrs Badenoch said the welfare reforms were designed “to plug a black hole created by the Chancellor” but “instead they’re creating new ones”.

As the Chancellor left the Commons following the Prime Minister’s Questions session her sister Ellie Reeves took her hand in an apparent show of support.

Labour has promised that income tax, employee national insurance contributions and VAT will not be increased, restricting Ms Reeves’ options for raising money if she does look to hike taxes.

Mrs Badenoch asked Sir Keir to reassure “frightened” people by “ruling out tax rises in the autumn budget”.

Sir Keir replied: “She knows that no Prime Minister or Chancellor ever stands at the despatch box and writes budgets in the future.”

The Institute for Fiscal Studies’ incoming director Helen Miller said: “Since departmental spending plans are now effectively locked in, and the Government has already had to row back on planned cuts to pensioner benefits and working-age benefits, tax rises would look increasingly likely.

“This will doubtless intensify the speculation over the summer about which taxes may rise and by how much.”

Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride said: “Tax rises are on the way to pay for Labour’s mismanagement of the economy.

“Hard-working families will have an agonising summer waiting to hear how Rachel Reeves will claw back the cash to make up for the failings of this weak Prime Minister.”