Prime Minister Keir Starmer has moved to stabilize his flagging leadership by bringing two of the Labour Party’s most seasoned figures back into the fold. In a bid to project experience and resilience following a series of bruising electoral defeats, Starmer has appointed former Prime Minister Gordon Brown as a special envoy on global finance and former deputy leader Harriet Harman as an adviser on women and girls.
The appointments, announced from Downing Street, come at a moment of acute vulnerability for the Prime Minister. Labour is currently grappling with the fallout of local election results that have seen the party lose significant ground across England, Scotland, and Wales, fueling a growing chorus of demands from within his own ranks for him to step down or establish a clear exit timeline.
The return of Gordon Brown, who steered the UK through the 2008 financial crisis and served as the longest-tenured chancellor of the modern era, is seen as a strategic effort to bolster the government’s international credibility. Brown was pictured shaking hands with Starmer outside No. 10 on Friday morning, a visual signal of unity intended to quieten speculation about a leadership vacuum.
However, the move has already drawn fire from political opponents. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK—the primary beneficiary of Labour’s slump—mocked the appointment on X, describing Brown as an “unpopular prime minister who lost a general election” and claiming that Starmer’s reliance on him suggests the Labour Party is “doomed.”
A Strategic Pivot to Experience
The roles assigned to Brown and Harman are distinct in scope but shared in their intent: to provide a layer of authoritative guidance to a government under siege. Gordon Brown’s mandate as special envoy on global finance is specifically tied to the Prime Minister’s commitment to boosting national security and resilience.
According to Downing Street, Brown will be tasked with developing international finance partnerships to support investments in defense and security. A key component of his role involves engaging with international leaders, finance institutions, and private partners to establish multilateral finance mechanisms, including measures designed to underpin the UK’s complex relationship with Europe.
Simultaneously, Harriet Harman takes on an unpaid, part-time role reporting directly to the Prime Minister. As the adviser on women and girls, Harman will collaborate with ministers to tackle violence against women, improve employment prospects, and increase female representation in public life and Parliament. While Harman has publicly supported Starmer’s continued tenure, she has been candid about the need for a shift in direction, telling Sky News that “more of the same is not acceptable.”
The Anatomy of an Electoral Mauling
The urgency of these appointments is underscored by the scale of Labour’s losses. Data from the Press Association reveals a party in retreat, particularly in its traditional heartlands. In England, Labour lost control of 32 authorities and suffered a net loss of more than 1,000 seats.
The shift is not merely a swing toward the Conservatives, but a fragmentation of the left and center-left. Reform UK saw a historic surge, gaining control of 13 councils and adding over 1,200 seats. Meanwhile, the Green Party made significant inroads, taking control of four councils and adding 306 councillors, contributing to a narrative that the era of two-party dominance is eroding.
The situation is even more precarious in the devolved nations. In Wales, Labour has faced a near-wipeout, ending 27 years of domination as Plaid Cymru emerged as the largest party in the Senedd. In Scotland, the SNP remains the dominant force, with John Swinney returning as First Minister—a victory congratulated by Donald Trump on Truth Social, citing Swinney’s work regarding tariff relief for Scottish whiskey.
| Party | English Council Seat Change (Net) | Councils Gained/Lost |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | -1,051 | Lost 32 |
| Reform UK | +1,276 | Gained 13 |
| Conservatives | -427 | Lost 8 |
| Green Party | +306 | Gained 4 |
| Lib Dems | +142 | Gained 3 |
Rebellion in the Ranks
Despite the public displays of unity, the internal pressure on Starmer is mounting. A growing number of Labour MPs have openly questioned whether the current leadership can lead the party back to a general election victory. Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East, warned that Starmer must step down “in the not too distant future” to avoid a protracted internal battle that could alienate the public.
The discourse has shifted from whether Starmer should change course to whether he should leave. Debbie Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, suggested the Prime Minister has a “matter of months” to decide his future, citing a trajectory that looks bleak for local candidates and the national party. Some MPs, including Connor Naismith, have pointed toward Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as a more popular and viable alternative for the front line of national politics.
The leadership’s defense has been led by Deputy Leader Lucy Powell, who dismissed calls for a leadership timetable as a “distracting” debate. Powell argued that setting a date for a leadership change would only “fire the starting gun” for instability, insisting instead that the party focus on delivering the “sizeable, bold Labour change” promised to voters. This sentiment was echoed by Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, both of whom have publicly rallied around the Prime Minister, despite Streeting being frequently mentioned as a potential successor.
The Road Ahead
The appointment of Brown and Harman provides Starmer with a temporary shield of experience, but it does not address the underlying electoral volatility. The rise of Reform UK in the Midlands and the North, coupled with the Green surge in London boroughs like Hackney and Waltham Forest, suggests a structural shift in voter loyalty that cannot be solved by personnel changes at the top.
For the Prime Minister, the immediate challenge is to transform these advisory roles into tangible policy wins that can stem the bleeding of support. The focus on “security and resilience” via Gordon Brown’s global finance envoy role suggests an attempt to pivot toward a more authoritative, “grown-up” governance style that appeals to centrist voters.
The next critical checkpoint for the administration will be the upcoming parliamentary sessions and party briefings, where Starmer is expected to outline specific policy adjustments to address the concerns raised by the local election losses. All eyes will remain on the backbenches to see if the “elder statesmen” strategy is enough to quiet the calls for a leadership transition.
Do you believe the return of Gordon Brown and Harriet Harman will stabilize Labour’s leadership, or is it too little, too late? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
