Burnham Raises Concerns Over Cabinet Balance Amid Rayner’s Shock Exit and Leadership Race
Burnham Raises Concerns Over Cabinet Balance Amid Rayner’s Shock Exit and Leadership Race
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has voiced significant concerns regarding the “balance” of the cabinet following a dramatic reshuffle triggered by Angela Rayner’s sudden resignation. Rayner stepped down from her roles as Housing Secretary, Deputy Prime Minister, and crucially, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, sparking an immediate contest to find her replacement.
Speaking on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Burnham suggested the deputy leadership race offers a critical opportunity for an “internal management” discussion within the party. He specifically advocated for a candidate from the North of England, believing it would be “great” for the party’s representation.
The reshuffle has seen significant changes, with David Lammy stepping into the Deputy Prime Minister role, Yvette Cooper moving to Foreign Secretary, and Shabana Mahmood becoming Home Secretary. Among those who lost their positions was Leader of the House Lucy Powell. Burnham reiterated his unease about the new cabinet’s composition, stating, “I am concerned about the balance, and I think you know, we need to use the deputy leadership contest to discuss some of these things.”
Burnham urged the leadership to foster greater party unity, citing recent internal disagreements over winter fuel payments and disability benefits. He criticized the perceived punishment of MPs who oppose government plans, referencing instances like Rachael Maskell losing the whip. “That doesn’t seem fair to me. It didn’t happen in the governments I was in, in Gordon Brown’s government or Tony Blair’s government,” he added, calling for a more inclusive leadership style.
The impending deputy leadership contest is anticipated by some to expose existing divisions between Downing Street and the party’s left wing. While the deputy leadership is distinct from the Deputy Prime Minister role, Rayner had held both simultaneously. Burnham, when asked about potential candidates, put forward Louise Haigh or Lucy Powell, both Northern MPs, as a means to “counter that London centricity.” Emily Thornberry has also indicated she is considering a run for the deputy leadership.
In response, Defence Secretary John Healey defended the changes, calling it Sir Keir Starmer’s move to reset his team. He urged the new cabinet to “go up a gear” and demonstrate their ability to improve the lives of ordinary people. Healey praised Rayner as an “inspiration” to many, particularly working-class women, acknowledging the government would “miss” her, but maintained that the new team was strong. He also defended Sir Keir’s “clear, swift action” in the reshuffle, stating Rayner was “not victim.”
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