Sir Keir Starmer has defended his decision to bring former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and former deputy Labour leader Baroness Harriet Harman back into government roles, describing the appointments as "future-looking" moves. Mr Brown will serve as the Prime Minister's special envoy on global finance, tasked with fostering international cooperation on economic and defence issues. Lady Harman will act as an adviser on women and girls, focusing on tackling violence against women, improving job prospects, and increasing representation in public life.
Starmer's Justification
Speaking to broadcasters, Sir Keir emphasised that both roles are forward-thinking. He said: "I want women to have the opportunities that they deserve. I want to be able to tackle misogyny, I've made commitments on this and Harriet working with the team is the absolutely right person to do that. So it's very future-looking, because this is about making sure that every woman has the opportunities that she deserves." Regarding Mr Brown, he added: "For Gordon obviously, one of the big challenges we face is global finance. The war in Iran is causing real problems, economic impact. We need more spending on defence and security, that needs to come together around international mechanisms and Gordon's got a track record on that, and so that is building the strong economy of the future."
Context of Appointments
The appointments come after a disastrous set of election results for Labour in Wales, Scotland, and English councils. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, whose party made significant gains, mocked the decision, saying: "An unpopular prime minister who lost a general election is now seen by Starmer as being the saviour. Labour are doomed." Mr Brown's role coincides with the UK's upcoming presidency of the G20 group of leading industrialised nations next year. Lady Harman will collaborate with the head of the Civil Service to drive a cultural shift across government departments and ministerial offices, according to Number 10.
Both Mr Brown and Lady Harman met Sir Keir in Number 10 ahead of the announcement. The roles are unpaid and part-time, drawing on their extensive experience from the last Labour government. Sir Keir stressed that these appointments are vital for strengthening the country and providing hope for a better future.
