Rachel Reeves will publish tax return in U-turn hours after refusing to do so

Chancellor said after delivering speech on growth she had no plans to release her tax returns

Rachel Reeves is set to publish a tax return, in a U-turn hours after saying she did not have any plans to do so.

A Treasury spokesperson indicated that Ms Reeves will release the details on her taxes, and Downing Street has confirmed that the prime minister will do the same.

In 2024, a summary of Sir Keir Starmer’s return showed he paid almost £100,000 to the taxman.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to publish a tax return (PA Wire)

Answering questions following a major speech on her economic growth plans, Ms Reeves said earlier on Wednesday: “Chancellors and prime ministers haven’t published their tax returns in the past, and I don’t have any plans to do so.”

Sir Keir’s press secretary later told reporters: “He published his tax return in opposition and will do so as prime minister.”

Both Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt published tax figures while they were in government.

Figures released in February 2024 showed Sir Keir paid £99,431 in tax after making £275,000 in capital gains.

The release showed that the Labour leader paid £44,308 in income tax in 2022-23.

He also paid £52,688 in capital gains tax after the sale of a field in December 2022 partly owned by himself and partly owned by his father’s estate.

The prime minister is also going to release his details (Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street)

Mr Sunak published a summary of his tax affairs while he was in No 10.

The then prime minister paid more than £500,000 in UK tax for 2022-23 as his total income rose to £2.2m.

Ms Reeves’s predecessor in No 11, Jeremy Hunt, paid a total of £117,418 in UK tax in 2022-2023, a summary of his return showed.

His total income before tax was £416,605, including £27,370 in rental income.

Kemi Badenoch’s spokesperson suggested that the Conservative leader is waiting to see what the chancellor does with her tax returns.

Asked whether Ms Badenoch would publish her returns, the spokesperson said: “She is in opposition. And she … waits to see what Rachel Reeves does.”

Pushed further on the point, they later added: “The point is, we are in opposition, you can ask me this question when we form a government in four years.”