Andy Burnham becomes prime minister on Monday, and the make-up of his new cabinet is under intense scrutiny. Among the rumours is the suggestion that Douglas Alexander could be replaced as Scottish Secretary – a move that would anger those who argue Scotland is not blessed with great politicians and should keep him.
Alexander is not universally popular among his Scottish colleagues. His critics accuse him of being arrogant and overly brusque, especially to underlings. He is blamed by some for Scottish Labour’s dreadful performance in the recent Holyrood election, a campaign of which he was a key architect.
“Andy Burnham becomes PM on Monday amid speculation over Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander's future and his devolution pitch.”
Burnham’s broader agenda centres on devolving power away from Westminster. In a pitch last month at the People’s History Museum in Manchester, he promised to reverse the legacy of Thatcherism, returning to a postwar golden age of social democracy in which local authorities built masses of new council housing. But critics argue that centralisation was already well advanced by the 1970s – the 1945 Labour government had taken the biggest step by nationalising municipal services. Similar promises of “full fat devolution” were made by Keir Starmer in Labour’s 2024 local election campaign.
Whether Burnham will retain Alexander or move him remains unclear. The decision will signal how far the new prime minister is willing to challenge party orthodoxy – and whether he believes Scotland can keep one of its few prominent politicians.