Health Secretary Wes Streeting has expressed confidence that Rachel Reeves will recover from her emotional moment in the Commons yesterday, describing her as a "tough cookie" who will "bounce back."

Speaking to GB News, Streeting offered support for the Chancellor, stating she's "not just my colleague, she's my friend".

Following a tearful appearance at PMQs on Wednesday, Reeves addressed the incident and although she was "clearly upset", it was her job to be at Prime Minister’s Questions "supporting the Government".

She said: "My job as Chancellor at 12 o’clock on a Wednesday is to be at PMQs next to the Prime Minister, supporting the Government and that’s what I tried to do.

Wes Streeting has defended Chancellor Rachel Reeves following her emotional episode in PMQs on Wednesday

"I guess the thing that maybe is a bit different between my job and many of your viewers’ is that when I’m having a tough day it’s on the telly and most people don’t have to deal with that."

The Health Secretary praised Reeves' resilience and character, emphasising her ability to handle the demanding nature of her role.

He noted that despite yesterday's difficulties, she returned to work the same afternoon, demonstrating her commitment to the position.

Streeting acknowledged the unique pressures faced by politicians who must navigate personal challenges whilst constantly in the public eye: "I think there are lots of people who are watching, who will think about some of our own experiences from time to time, where we've had things going on in our lives outside of work that sometimes you bring to work with you, and that yesterday was one of those occasions."

Rachel Reeves was seen crying in Parliament during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday

He highlighted the particular difficulty of being "both at work and on camera" when serving in frontline politics, distinguishing it from most other professions where personal moments remain private.

Streeting highlighted the Chancellor's economic achievements during her tenure, pointing to concrete improvements in the UK's financial landscape.

"We've seen in Rachel's leadership over the last year, a Chancellor that's got interest rates falling four times, wages finally rising higher than the cost of living," he stated.

The Health Secretary credited Reeves with stabilising the nation's finances after inheriting what he described as a challenging situation: "She's gripped the public finances, dealt with the mess that we inherited, and she's got the economy moving in the right direction."

Streeting told GB News that this has been the 'best year of his professional life'

When asked whether Reeves needed a break, Streeting firmly rejected the suggestion: "No. Of course, it's right for her to continue," he said, acknowledging the demanding nature of government roles whilst expressing satisfaction with their work.

The Health Secretary reflected on the Government's first year achievements, describing it as "the best year of my professional life."

He contrasted Government service with opposition, stating: "In Government, you get to wake up in the morning saying what we're doing today. In opposition, you wake up every morning thinking what we're going to say today."

Streeting cited specific NHS accomplishments, including cutting waiting lists by 250,000 and delivering double their promised two million additional appointments.

"I said, within weeks of coming to office that we would employ 1,000 more GPs onto the front line. Latest figures show actually we're almost double that," he noted.