The decision to replace Angela Rayner as Party Chair and Party National Campaign Coordinator was leaked by an unknown source as a sacking and that was received negatively by Labour MPs and members.[11][12] Reports of the change were leaked on 8 May, leading to accusations that Starmer was attempting to shift blame for Labour's election defeats onto his deputy. Former Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell, tweeted that he was "scapegoating everyone apart from himself" and demonstrating "a cowardly avoidance of responsibility".[13]Andy Burnham, who had been re-elected as Mayor of Greater Manchester two days prior, also tweeted his disproval by stating that "If it's so I can’t support this".[14][15] Burnham's statement, along with comments he had recently made that were critical of the party's "London-centric" focus, was perceived by some as a direct attack on Starmer's leadership.[16][17]
The announcement of the new shadow cabinet was delayed as they always are while the changes were discussed. Although she was ultimately replaced as Party Chair (by Anneliese Dodds) and National Campaign Co-ordinator (by Shabana Mahmood), Rayner's position on the frontbench was seen to have been strengthened, as she was appointed Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, shadowing prominent Conservative Michael Gove, and given the newly created role of Shadow Secretary of State for the Future of Work.[18]
Dismissal of Nick Brown
One of the two shadow cabinet members to leave the Opposition frontbench was Nick Brown, who had served as Chief Whip of the Labour Party under five different leaders. A spokesperson for Brown stated that the decision had been amicable and that he and Starmer had parted "on good terms, with mutual respect".[19] However, this move was criticised as "inept in the extreme" by John McDonnell, who noted Brown's experience, calling him "one of the most experienced and tactically astute chief whips the party has ever had". McDonnell further alleged that the decision was orchestrated by Peter Mandelson, the influential former minister during the New Labour governments.[20]
Other rumoured changes
Nandy (left) and Starmer (right) during a leadership hustings in 2020
The day before the reshuffle, there were rumours leaked that Starmer was planning to demote and replace a number of senior members of his shadow cabinet, including Lisa Nandy, the Shadow Foreign Secretary. This was heavily criticised both inside and outside the Labour Party, as Nandy is seen as one of the more visible and vocal members of the shadow cabinet representing the North of England.[21] It was suggested that she had been disloyal to Starmer and was being demoted as a result. However, Robert Peston of ITV tweeted that the accusations against Nandy appeared to represent "bunker mentality" and that signs of disloyalty had been "invisible" to him.[22]
There was also widespread speculation that Starmer was planning to promote several senior MPs who had previously served in New Labour cabinets and subsequent shadow cabinets. Hilary Benn and Yvette Cooper were tipped to return, indicating an attempt to reintroduce experienced and well-known politicians to the frontbench.[23] Benn had been Shadow Foreign Secretary in Jeremy Corbyn's first shadow cabinet, until June 2016 when he was dismissed. Cooper had been Shadow Home Secretary in Ed Miliband's shadow cabinet and stood down when Corbyn was elected leader in September 2015. Both had served in the New Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
When the new shadow cabinet was eventually announced on 9 May, Nandy remained in her post, alongside the majority of her colleagues. Neither Benn nor Cooper were appointed as they hold Chairs of Parliamentary Select Committees.[18]
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