Andy Burnham's commitment to unite the Labour Party has been met with internal strife and accusations of "mayhem" surrounding the selection of his Cabinet, according to reports. The process has been marred by infighting and "insidious" briefing culture, directly contradicting Burnham's stated aim to end such practices.
Central to the current turmoil is the potential appointment of Ed Miliband as Chancellor. Sources indicate that Miliband's aspirations for the role were reportedly dashed after briefings suggested Burnham intended to appoint Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to the position. However, Burnham allies now accuse Mahmood and her team of attempting to "brief herself into the job," an action that has reportedly angered Burnham and his chief of staff, James Purnell.
"There's a lot of anger at Shabana and her team for the Treasury briefing," a source stated. "Andy and James were furious." This perceived attempt to "bounce" Burnham into an appointment, despite his public assertion in his coronation speech that no decisions had been made, has created significant friction.
Further complicating matters, Mahmood is alleged to have denied involvement in the briefings, claiming to have been in a secure room for hours. However, this assertion has reportedly been met with disbelief, with Home Office staff familiar with her habits questioning her alibi.
Additional contention arises from claims that the new Northern Secretary could hold a higher cabinet rank than the Chancellor, a prospect the Treasury is expected to resist. The Daily Mail reported that Burnham's pledge to end factionalism and the "insidious" briefing culture was branded "dead on arrival" amid these disputes.
Adding to the internal discord, supporters of former leader Sir Keir Starmer are reportedly poised to oppose Burnham. These allies have expressed anger over Burnham's claim to have supported "all our Labour leaders in my lifetime," which they view as a denial of his alleged role in Starmer's ousting. "Andy may be the King of the North and South just now but the Starmer loyalists will be lying in wait for him," one senior MP commented. "His hopes of ending the infighting are dead on arrival."
Concerns have also been raised within Whitehall regarding proposed structural changes. Plans to establish a new "No 10 North" by abolishing Liz Kendall's Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and transferring officials to a new Northern department, with responsibilities shifting to the Business Department, have generated unease. Reports suggest Chief Whip Jonathan Reynolds has already initiated discussions with current Business Secretary Peter Kyle regarding these plans, citing a prior promise of the position.
This potential disruption has fueled worries about the continuity of DSIT's work on issues such as social media bans and artificial intelligence. One source expressed dismay, stating, "I know he [Burnham] wants to take Britain back to the 1970s, but trying to pretend the internet doesn't exist is going a bit far."
Several high-profile figures are expected to depart the government amidst this realignment. Housing Secretary Steve Reed, Attorney General Lord Hermer, and Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy, described as loyalists of Sir Keir, are anticipated to leave their posts.