Starmer Enlists Veteran Labour Figures Following Election Defeats
Sir Keir Starmer has appointed former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown as a special envoy on global finance in an effort to strengthen his leadership after significant election losses for his party.
Downing Street also announced that former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman has been appointed as an adviser focused on addressing violence against women and girls.
Both Brown and Harman, prominent and respected Labour figures, met with Sir Keir at Downing Street prior to the public announcement of their new roles.
The prime minister's position has been weakened following the poor election results on Friday, which have intensified pressure on him, with some Labour MPs urging him to establish a timetable for his departure.
However, Sir Keir has maintained that he will not "walk away and plunge the country into chaos," and his cabinet members have expressed their support.
He plans to attempt a reset of his premiership next week by delivering a major speech and introducing a new legislative agenda.
The appointments of Brown and Baroness Harman indicate the prime minister's intention to refresh his government.
Brown served as chancellor before becoming prime minister from 2007 to 2010, playing a key role in the international response to the 2008 financial crisis.
Downing Street stated that Sir Keir has "committed to boosting the country's security and resilience," and in his new role, Brown "will advise on how global finance cooperation can help to achieve this."
Baroness Harman was leader of the House of Commons during Brown's premiership and served as Labour deputy leader from 2007 to 2015.
According to Downing Street, Baroness Harman will "advise the PM on how to galvanise government to deliver for women and girls."
"The role will see her draw on work with women across Parliament to identify action needed to tackle misogyny and deliver greater opportunity for women in parliamentary and public life," No 10 said.
Mixed Reactions Within Labour to Appointments
Labour ministers, MPs, and officials have expressed confusion regarding the return of two veteran Labour figures.
While both Brown and Harman are respected within the party, their appointments have raised questions about how figures from Labour's past align with the change the prime minister has promised.
One usually loyal minister told the BBC:
"It's a joke. There is no question to which bringing these two back is the answer."
A Labour MP commented:
"Not sure voters in Wigan, Wandsworth, Salford or Sunderland voted Reform because they thought we needed more advisers from a different era of Labour politics. I think this shows that Keir doesn't even understand the problem, never mind the solution."
A former Labour adviser added:
"Is his plan to combat the notion that he has no ideas to just double down on that and bring in a load of other people to come up with ideas?"
Growing Calls for Leadership Change
Discontent following the election results has become more visible, with up to 30 Labour MPs publicly stating that Sir Keir should resign or agree to outline a process for an orderly leadership transition.
Labour MP Clive Betts told the BBC that Sir Keir should "step down" in the "not too distant future" for the "good of the country and the government."
The MP for Sheffield South East said that before the elections, people told him, "we might vote Labour, we've always voted Labour, we'd like to vote Labour again but not while Keir is the leader."
Betts stated that people "have made their mind up" and he did not believe that "rebooting and refreshing" would "make any difference" because the public "by and large have stopped listening to Keir."
Debbie Abrahams, Labour MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, expressed her view that it would be a matter of months before Sir Keir steps down as prime minister.
"He has said that he would always put the country first and we must recognise the dangers that we are in now," Abrahams said. "On this trajectory it does not look good."
Deputy Leader Supports Starmer's Continuation
Labour's deputy leader Lucy Powell is among those advocating for Sir Keir to remain in office.
"I want him to continue as leader," Powell said.
She emphasized the need for the party to "reflect, to hear, to listen" and warned that if Labour does not "improve and start doing better," there is a risk of "Nigel Farage walking up Downing Street in three years' time."
Powell also stated that it would be inappropriate for the government to "turn in on ourselves" and begin debating leadership at this time.
