Labour Women Demand Starmer Appoint Female Deputy Amid Downing Street “Boy’s Club” Allegations
Labour’s female MPs are urging Keir Starmer to appoint a woman as his de facto deputy, a move they believe is crucial to enacting a “complete culture change” within Downing Street following a series of scandals that have exposed what they describe as a “boy’s club” atmosphere.
The calls for a significant shake-up come after a tumultuous week for the Labour leader, marked by scrutiny over connections to controversial figures and allegations of a deeply ingrained cultural problem. Harriet Harman, a veteran figure within the party, has proposed reviving the role of First Secretary of State – previously held by Peter Mandelson under Gordon Brown – but with a firm stipulation: the position must be filled by a woman to actively “transform the political culture in government around women and girls.”
Starmer faced a packed meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) on Wednesday, following a particularly challenging Prime Minister’s Questions session. He was repeatedly pressed on his relationship with Mandelson and Matthew Doyle, his former communications chief, who reportedly campaigned on behalf of an individual facing charges related to possessing indecent images of children.
Harman emphasized the potential impact of a female First Secretary of State, describing the role as the most senior cabinet position after the Prime Minister and effectively their second-in-command. She stated that such an appointment would be “really powerful.” “We need a complete culture change, and I think everybody recognises that,” Harman told The Guardian. “But it’s easier to say let’s change culture than to make it happen.” She believes the role would “turbocharge” the government’s commitment to halving violence against women and girls over the next decade, ensuring accountability across all government departments and bolstering efforts to support women.
The recent controversies surrounding Mandelson and Doyle have ignited considerable anger within Labour ranks, particularly among female MPs. Alison McGovern, the local government minister, expressed the depth of feeling, writing in a blog post that “anger and grief in huge measure is what those of us from Labour’s progressive wing feel now.” She argued that a systemic failure to adequately listen to women contributed to Mandelson’s prolonged influence.
Despite the internal turmoil, a sense of unity appears to be forming around Starmer, particularly since the resignation of his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, on Sunday. McSweeney, who had reportedly advised Starmer to appoint Mandelson as US ambassador, has been replaced by acting joint chiefs of staff Vidhya Alakeson and Jill Cuthbertson.
Personnel changes continue within Starmer’s team. Sophie Nazemi, a veteran of the Corbyn era, has stepped in as director of communications following Tim Allan’s departure on Monday. Stephanie Driver, Starmer’s former director of communications who resigned last autumn after Allan’s promotion, is also being considered for the role. The standing of Amy Richards, No 10’s political director, has reportedly strengthened, with many recognizing her pivotal role in improving Starmer’s relationship with his party.
However, MPs at Wednesday’s PLP meeting urged Starmer to go further. Natalie Fleet, the MP for Bolsover, shared her harrowing personal experience – being groomed and raped as a teenager – and called for a national inquiry into the alleged crimes of Mohamed Al Fayed, former owner of Harrods. Fleet recounted how victims had contacted No 10 without receiving a response and requested a meeting with Starmer to discuss their concerns. “These are our victims, this is our Epstein,” she stated, referencing the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and alleging that English police officers had accepted bribes and medical professionals had conducted virginity checks on victims.
“I know, as a survivor, that nobody cares,” Fleet said, expressing a deep sense of disillusionment. “Literally, nobody cares. You have to seize the moment right now, people up and down the country saying they care. OK, great, let’s do something about it.” Despite her frustrations, Fleet reaffirmed her support for Starmer, but emphasized the need for demonstrable action on women’s concerns. “I genuinely believe that Starmer is the best we’ve got when it comes to tackling violence against women and girls,” she said. “If I could pick a prime minister out of the country, I would pick somebody with a record like his. The fact that he’s being derailed to this scale by this drama just feels so ironic, because he genuinely cares. That’s why we need him to do more. We need him to deliver. We need deeds, not words.”
