 Reed was named one of the three most influential council leaders in the country by the "Local Government Chronicle" in 2011 and was the highest-ranked Labour politician in the 2010 Pink List compiled by "The Independent on Sunday".Reed was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to local government.Reed's first attempt to enter Parliament was in Lambeth, contesting the Labour nomination for the Streatham constituency in 2008, on the retirement of Keith Hill.