Following a day of internal party turmoil, the Labour government is facing calls from within its own ranks to demonstrate greater ambition and clarity, as outlined by The Guardian.
Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, has publicly stated his support for Prime Minister Keir Starmer. However, during a speech and Q&A session in Westminster, Burnham simultaneously called for the government to show more boldness and be more willing to accept contributions from others. He argued that this is a “generational moment in politics” and that the government should “lean completely” into a theme of moving away from a culture too close to wealth and power.
Burnham specifically pointed to housing as an area where the government should be more ambitious. He defended his own recent, unsuccessful attempt to seek selection for the Gorton and Denton byelection—an attempt quashed by Starmer and his allies—by stating a need for “a stronger team again” in Westminster. When asked, he confirmed: “Yes, he has my support. The government has my support.”
This intervention came after the Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, called for Keir Starmer to resign on Monday. It also followed comments from the energy secretary, Ed Miliband, who used media interviews to say the Prime Minister should use the moment to reshape his premiership and demonstrate “much greater clarity of purpose”.
Miliband described Starmer as “liberated” following the departure of his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney. He stated that “the private Keir we know hasn’t been sufficiently on display to the public” and that the episode must become “a moment of change for the government”. He emphasised the need for consistency, linking policy mistakes such as on winter fuel to a drowning out of the government’s good works.
The energy secretary argued that the current crisis was not solely due to the controversy surrounding Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador and his links to Jeffrey Epstein. He said the government had a “herculean task” to move on and reconnect with a country that was “incredibly angry”. Miliband also called for an end to “briefing wars” and factionalism, stating that Labour needs “the widest possible set of talents”.
While the full cabinet has publicly rallied behind the Prime Minister, potential leadership rivals including Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are reported to have appeared to be readying for a future contest. However, after Starmer addressed the parliamentary Labour party, most MPs leaving were said to believe his determination had given him a fresh chance.
Echoing Miliband’s call for an end to internal divisions, the soft-left Tribune group, led by some of his allies, said the departure of key No 10 figures should prompt a wider cabinet reshuffle. Miliband himself ruled out a leadership bid, saying he was “absolutely not” preparing to run and had been “inoculated against that”. He also stated that he still counted Anas Sarwar as a friend but believed he had made “a wrong judgment” in calling for Starmer’s resignation.
