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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
John Crace

SMILE! It’s just a normal day for Labour’s happy family of Keir, Rachel and Wes

Wes Streeting, Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer sitting side by side
Rachel Reeves’ job was to look relaxed and smile a lot. She managed half of that. Photograph: WPA/Getty Images

The show must go on. Less than 48 hours after the government’s welfare bill was left in tatters and a day after Rachel Reeves breaking down in tears at prime minister’s questions had caused falls in the financial markets, Keir Starmer, his chancellor and the health secretary were keen to present a clean slate.

Everything was totally normal. Couldn’t be more normal. This had been just another ordinary week in Westminster. Everyone cries during PMQs at some stage in their career. The kind of thing that happens all the time. So normal that Keir, Rachel and Wes Streeting had come mob-handed to make the same announcement. What could be more normal than that? Denial will get you a long way in politics.

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