Andy Burnham is facing a demand from female Labour MPs to commit to a 50:50 gender split in his government should he become prime minister in July, with a draft letter from the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party (WPLP) warning that the party must lead by example on equality.
The letter, seen by the BBC, calls on Burnham to “demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government.” Labour has never had an elected female leader, while the Conservative Party has had three female prime ministers and is currently led by Kemi Badenoch.
“Female Labour MPs demand Andy Burnham commit to 50:50 gender split in cabinet, warning of 'toxicity and misogyny'.”
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 New Labour ally James Purnell as his 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, while his brother David could return as foreign secretary via the House of Lords.
At a meeting this week, Burnham moved to reassure the WPLP he was an ally, promising to sack any staff who undermined women in his team. Labour MPs have complained of a “boy’s club culture” in Westminster, which they say has contributed to scandals, structural misogyny, bullying, and a blind eye being turned to reports of sexual harassment.
The draft letter, yet to be sent, states: “We have fought very hard to achieve our electoral success only to find that we are battling within our own party to be heard as women. Rooms where decisions are being made are often closed to us leading to blind spots in appointment decisions and policy development. The tendency of previous leaderships to sideline the voices of women makes us a weaker government.”
The WPLP’s 13-point plan includes calls for a female deputy prime minister and a separate first minister of state for women, as well as zero tolerance of bullying or misogyny from No 10 staff and parliamentarians. It also highlights threats to women, particularly female MPs from ethnic minorities, urging better security and legislation to limit online abuse and deepfakes.
Burnham is also set to become the first Labour and Co-operative prime minister, a landmark moment according to Joe Fortune, general secretary of the Co-operative Party. Fortune noted that in the last two years, the government has delivered the first programme to grow the co‑operative economy, with Jonathan Reynolds as the first Labour and Co‑operative business secretary, and more co‑operative members around the cabinet table than in the previous seven decades combined. Burnham’s own co‑operative credentials include supporting supporter ownership of football clubs as a minister and establishing the Greater Manchester Co‑operative Commission as mayor.
But the WPLP’s demands now place gender equality at the centre of Burnham’s transition, as he faces the challenge of turning pledges into appointments.