Andy Burnham is being urged by female Labour MPs to commit to a 50:50 gender split in his government, as the presumptive prime minister confronts a £4.7bn defence funding gap and warnings from disability campaigners not to cut benefits.
A draft letter from the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party, seen by the BBC, demands that change start at the top. “We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,” it states.
“Burnham faces demands for 50:50 gender split, disability benefit warnings, and £4.7bn defence gap.”
Labour has never had an elected female leader, while the Conservatives have had three. Burnham is expected to remove Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the first woman to hold No 11, and the top contenders to replace her are men. He will also bring back James Purnell as chief of staff – a position shared by two women under Sir Keir Starmer.
One WPLP member said it would not be acceptable “to have more Milibands in the great offices of state than women”. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband is a possible chancellor; his brother David could return as foreign secretary. Burnham moved to reassure the group at a meeting this week, promising to sack any staff who undermined women.
Meanwhile, campaigners who worked with Burnham on disability issues have warned he must not be “swayed” into cutting Personal Independence Payments. Shabaaz Mohammed, a campaigner with Disabled People Against Cuts Manchester, collaborated with Burnham from 2018 on the Greater Manchester Disabled People’s Panel, set up by the then mayor to advise him. Burnham said during his by-election campaign he is “not squeamish” about reducing the welfare bill, but has ruled out “crude” short-term cuts, suggesting reduced spending could happen over time by getting more people into work.
On defence, the Defence Secretary faces questions over a £4.7bn funding gap left to Burnham, meaning the incoming prime minister will have to identify extra funding in his first budget.
The draft letter from the WPLP also highlights threats to women, particularly ethnic-minority MPs, and calls for better security and legislation to limit online abuse and deepfakes. It has not yet been sent to Burnham.