LONDON, July 1 — The shift is unmistakable: Labour’s brotherly psychodrama is back, and Andy Burnham is caught in the middle. The prime-minister-in-waiting must now navigate a delicate balancing act between Ed and David Miliband as he assembles his senior team to succeed Keir Starmer in less than three weeks. Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband has been heavily tipped to become Chancellor, despite alarm from business, unions, and party moderates.
But the trend underneath is the real story: David Miliband is also in the frame for a shock comeback, potentially returning to his old role as Foreign Secretary. That would put two of the four traditional great offices of state in Miliband hands — with only the Home Secretary post available for a woman.
Labour insiders believe that scenario would not be tenable. Women Labour MPs are demanding that half of ministers be female, and the optics of two Milibands in the top jobs while only one woman holds a great office are already causing friction. Burnham was forced to distance himself last night from a much-mocked briefing that he would be Labour’s first woman premier.
A senior figure had told the Spectator that he would be “a female PM in all but sex.” Labour MPs fumed at the comments.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch quipped that Labour “might have changed leader, but they still don’t know what a woman is.” Speaking to a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party women last night, Burnham said: “I want to put on record that I never have and never will describe myself as the first.” The former Greater Manchester mayor is clearly trying to contain the damage, but the brotherly dynamic is proving harder to manage. David Miliband quit UK politics after losing the 2010 Labour leadership election to his younger brother Ed.
A return now would be one of the most dramatic comebacks in recent British political history — and it would put Burnham in an impossible position. Watch this space: the next three weeks will determine whether Labour can balance its factions, its gender commitments, and its most famous sibling rivalry all at once.
