Sir Keir Starmer Appoints Gordon Brown, Harriet Harman as Advisers After Election Losses
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has appointed former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown as a special envoy on global finance, alongside former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman, who will advise on tackling violence against women and girls. These appointments follow substantial election losses that have led to increased pressure on Sir Keir and calls for his departure from some within the Labour Party.
Brown, who served as Prime Minister from 2007 to 2010, will offer counsel on how international financial cooperation can bolster the country's security and resilience. Baroness Harman, Labour deputy leader from 2007 to 2015, will focus on galvanising government efforts for women and girls, drawing on parliamentary engagement to address misogyny and enhance opportunities in public life.
The announcement follows a meeting between Sir Keir, Brown, and Baroness Harman at Downing Street. This initiative is understood to be part of a broader strategy to 'reset' Sir Keir's premiership, which will include a significant policy speech and a new legislative agenda next week.
However, the decision to bring back veteran Labour figures has met with scepticism and outright confusion among some Labour ministers, MPs, and officials. One minister, typically loyal, reportedly dismissed the move as a 'joke', questioning its relevance to current electoral challenges. An MP suggested that voters in traditional Labour strongholds did not abandon the party due to a perceived lack of advisers from a previous Labour era. Critics argue the appointments fail to address the fundamental issues behind the public's waning confidence in Sir Keir's leadership.
Internal dissent is increasingly evident, with up to 30 Labour MPs publicly advocating for Sir Keir to resign or establish a timetable for a leadership transition. Clive Betts, Labour MP for Sheffield South East, asserted that Sir Keir should 'step down' for the 'good of the country', citing widespread public sentiment that 'they've made their mind up' regarding his leadership. Debbie Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, also suggested Sir Keir's tenure as prime minister might be limited to a matter of months, warning of national dangers if the current trajectory continues. Nevertheless, deputy leader Lucy Powell has publicly supported Sir Keir, cautioning against internal leadership debates that would make the party appear 'ludicrous' and risk enabling figures like Nigel Farage to gain further political ground.
