Andy Burnham, widely expected to succeed Keir Starmer as Labour leader, has publicly rejected a claim that he would be the party's "first female prime minister." Burnham stated he "never has and never will" describe himself in such terms, addressing a meeting of female Labour MPs.
The controversy arose after a senior Labour figure reportedly suggested Burnham embodied "a female PM in all but sex" due to his perceived passion for "traditionally female-oriented issues." This characterization drew criticism from within the party and a jibe from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.
During the meeting with the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), Burnham also vowed to address a culture of negative briefing at Westminster. He stated that any team member found engaging in such practices would be immediately dismissed.
Burnham also faced demands for greater gender representation in leadership positions. Female Labour MPs presented him with a letter requesting a commitment to ensure at least 50% of his ministerial appointments and No. 10 staff are women. The letter also called for the Deputy Prime Minister role to be filled by a woman and for the creation of a First Minister of State for Women position with Cabinet attendance.
Despite Labour electing a record 190 female MPs in 2024, the party has historically had male leaders. If Burnham succeeds Starmer, he will be Labour's 20th UK-wide leader and eighth Prime Minister, all of whom have been male. In contrast, the Conservative Party has had four female leaders and three female Prime Ministers.
The letter from Labour's female MPs highlighted concerns that despite electoral success, they face internal battles to be heard, with decision-making rooms often excluding them. This, they argued, leads to blind spots in appointments and policy, weakening the government. The document also detailed concerns raised by the Women's PLP since the 2024 election win, including issues of structural misogyny, the culture in No. 10, the rewarding of bullying behavior, the ignoring of sexual harassment, and inadequate engagement with the party and PLP.
This pressure for reform follows previous criticism of Sir Keir Starmer's leadership, which was accused of fostering a "boys club" in Downing Street, particularly after the controversial appointment of Peter Mandelson as Britain's ambassador to the US.