Rachel Reeves has tried to soften the public’s perception of her amid concerns that her “Iron Chancellor” image has gone too far, an insider has claimed.
Ahead of the upcoming Budget announcement – which is expected to be a gruelling one – the Chancellor has tried to reinvent herself.
Reeves has swapped her trademark black bob for an auburn do, an intentional choice to soften up her image.
Since assuming the role of Chancellor in July, the 45-year-old has caused a ruckus with her focus on fiscal discipline – seen most sternly in her decision to cut Winter Fuel Payments.
Rachel Reeves U-turned on ‘Iron Chancellor’ amid fears she’d gone too far, insider claimsPAHer revamped colouring could allow the public to see Reeves in a new light, and tone down her tough image.
Expert stylist Francesca Cairns said Reeves’ new hair colour was designed to “help convey approachability, especially when she’s making tough decisions”.
She said that the orange colour has a much warmer and lighter hue than her previous look, which conveys a softer look.
Cairns said that the new look, which likely would have taken several colouring sessions to achieve, could help Reeves “strike a balance between authority and relatability”.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Expert stylist Francesca Cairns said Reeves’ new hair colour was designed to “help convey approachability, especially when she’s making tough decisions”.
PA
A source close to the 45-year-old said: “When was the last time anyone asked about the colour of Jeremy Hunt’s hair, or Rishi Sunak’s or any of the male chancellors who preceded Rachel?”
Labour’s first Budget since 2010 will be announced on October 30.
The Chancellor now faces the challenge of balancing manifesto commitments with the need to address public finances.
Reeves has warned of “difficult decisions” ahead. She aims to find £40billion to avoid real-terms cuts to Government departments.
The new look could help Reeves ‘strike a balance between authority and relatability’
Getty
A record number of businesses in the UK are facing financial trouble ahead of Reeves’s Budget, according to new research by a business advisory firm.
The study from Begbies Traynor reveals that 632,756 firms were on the brink of collapse in the third quarter of 2023, marking a staggering 32 per cent increase from the same period last year.
This alarming figure also represents a 5.1 per cent rise from the previous three months, indicating a rapidly worsening situation for many companies.
The sectors hit hardest include support services, construction, and property, which reported the highest number of struggling businesses.