Labour: Messy reshuffle knocks Sir Keir Starmer's authority
- Published
- comments
Was it worth it?
Reshuffles are moments when leaders have a chance to assert their authority - to show they are in charge.
Even the most ardent political obsessive would acknowledge (probably) that opposition reshuffles are not necessarily noticed by the public.
But they matter to the mood and atmosphere of parties and Parliament.
And for a party to win favour with voters over time, it needs to show the public trusted and favourite faces, to give the impression of an organisation ready for government - a group of people who we can all imagine in charge.
Sir Keir Starmer's first reshuffle, however, has been a very messy affair.
It began badly with a bust up with his deputy, Angela Rayner, who was being moved from one of her roles - in charge of campaigns.
Her allies said she was being sacked. Sir Keir's team said she was being moved. They can't both be telling the whole truth.
But there was a late night howl of backlash to the notion she was being ousted, putting pressure on the leader to find a way to make her stay.
'No mood to compromise'
It took all day for the two to agree. That may seem astounding given that Sir Keir is meant to be the boss.
Remember, however, that Ms Rayner's position as deputy leader is an elected one, and even the suggestion of her losing part of her role had already provoked outrage.
Clearly, she was in no mood to compromise.
Whether it was settled in the end by an arm wrestle, a staring match, or screaming and shouting, the length of time it took created a massive vacuum - which Sir Keir's critics on the left of the party filled, almost with glee, to push him for a change in direction.
And even some of his backers felt anxious, cross about the delays, concerned about the competence of the so called "brains trust" - a nickname for his team of advisers, not always used in a very complimentary way.
It took all of Sunday for Angela Rayner and Sir Keir Starmer to agree on her future role
After a day of dispute and delay, in the end, the list emerged.
Some important changes, but not a sweeping recasting of the team - you can read about the changes here.
Ms Rayner did stay in the end, with a prominent job, and - according to her allies - a newfound confidence.
Within minutes, they were briefing that her power has been boosted, implying she was the victor in the stand-off with the boss.
One of her supporters said: "On Friday Keir couldn't answer a simple question about what Labour's vision is, what our offer is and how we will win back the voters in our heartland seats.
"Angela can answer that question and is the best person to lead the fight back in the Red Wall."
'Political test'
Although an accommodation of sorts has been reached over her job, it doesn't seem like the two have reached a truce.
It's easy for moments like these to be overplayed as seismic and massively significant, when in a few months, the mood calms, events fade.
But these last few days have been an important political test for the Labour leader.
In a statement, Sir Keir said: "The Labour Party must be the party that embraces the demand for change across our country. That will require bold ideas and a relentless focus on the priorities of the British people.
"Just as the pandemic has changed what is possible and what is necessary, so Labour must change too."
The election results were expected to be grim, but the handling of the reshuffle was a mess that could have been avoided - and a knock to his authority he didn't need.