Old Woollen: Farsley Literature Festival 2023: Women Who Made Modern Economics

As part of Farsley Literature Festival hear author and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves in conversation about her latest book, The Women Who Made Modern Economics.

It tells the story of the women who have for too many years been locked out of the economy with negative consequences for them and for society as a whole. Economic thinking has also largely ignored what women have to offer, marginalising the work of female economists or simply not recognising their achievements. As a woman and economist, first at the Bank of England and now as Shadow Chancellor, who is herself challenging those barriers, Rachel Reeves has written a passionate, powerful and inspiring book dedicated to the women who have gone before and to those who will change the future.

Drawing on her personal experiences and relating them to the work of women whose work has often been overlooked, Rachel outlines her vision for the future of the economy if she does become the first woman Chancellor in which productivity is enhanced, growth is sustainable and there are opportunities for all, not just a privileged elite.

Rachel Reeves is the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer and has served as the Labour Member of Parliament for Leeds West since 2010. Before becoming an MP she spent a decade working as an economist – first for the Bank of England in London and Washington D.C., and later for HBOS in Halifax. From 2017-2020, she was Chair of the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee. When Keir Starmer was appointed Labour leader in May 2020, Rachel took up the role of Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office before being appointed Shadow Chancellor in May 2021.

She is the author of two previous books: Women of Westminster: The MPs Who Changed Politics (Bloomsbury, 2019) and Alice in Westminster: The Political Life of Alice Bacon (IB Tauris, 2016).