Lead

Andy Burnham has pledged to end the culture of negative briefing against female ministers, telling Labour MPs he would sack any staff who undermine women in his team. The promise comes as senior Labour women, including Lucy Powell and Louise Haigh, have spoken out about their experiences of a 'boys club' atmosphere in Downing Street under Keir Starmer.

Speaking at a meeting of the women's parliamentary Labour party, Burnham said: 'Culture really does matter and we need to change that culture. I want to make it clear that if anyone in my team was found to have done that [negative briefing] they would be out of the door. Their feet wouldn't touch the floor.' He also distanced himself from descriptions of him as 'the first female Labour PM', saying: 'I never have and never will describe myself as the first female Labour PM.'

Coverage Comparison

The Guardian's reporting on this story focuses on the personal accounts of Labour women and Burnham's response. One report highlights Lucy Powell's comments, in which she described experiencing 'unpleasant' briefings in Downing Street that left people afraid to speak out. Powell, the deputy leader of the Labour party, said the briefings had affected people's ability to do their jobs, creating a culture where 'you couldn't speak out on things [...] for fear of giving you a black mark against your name.'

Another report centres on Louise Haigh's accusations against Keir Starmer's allies. Haigh, who resigned as transport secretary in 2024, told the BBC's Nick Robinson that she had been a victim of a 'cabal of men mistreating women' who had also targeted other cabinet colleagues. She said the briefing against her was 'consistently and viciously' done in an attempt to 'knock my character down.'

The Guardian's coverage also notes that senior women under Starmer have complained of a 'boys club' culture, despite Starmer hiring multiple women to his team and making Rachel Reeves the first female chancellor. MPs felt that female ministers had a disproportionate number of negative stories leaked about them, including Haigh, foreign secretary Yvette Cooper, and education secretary Bridget Phillipson.

Key Claims

  • Burnham's promise to change culture: Andy Burnham said he will end the culture of briefing against female ministers, promising to sack any staff who undermine women in his team.
  • Powell's experience: Lucy Powell said she experienced 'unpleasant' briefings in Downing Street, which affected people's ability to do their jobs and created a culture of fear.
  • Haigh's accusation: Louise Haigh accused Keir Starmer's allies of briefing 'consistently and viciously' against her, saying she was a victim of a 'cabal of men mistreating women.'
  • 'Boys club' complaints: Senior women under Keir Starmer complained of a 'boys club' culture in No 10, with female ministers facing a disproportionate number of negative stories.
  • 50/50 gender split demand: Labour's female MPs wrote to Burnham to ask for a 50/50 gender split for ministers and staff.

Perspectives

Andy Burnham: The likely next prime minister has pledged to change the culture of briefings, saying that staff found to be briefing against women 'would be out of the door.' He also rejected the description of himself as 'the first female Labour PM,' saying he never has and never will describe himself that way.

Lucy Powell: The deputy leader of the Labour party described the briefing culture as 'a culture that became very factional,' with appointments made on the basis of 'which faction or which friendship group you were in.' She said it was 'not a meritocracy in any sense and not a broad church,' and vowed to push for a more open, merit-based system.

Louise Haigh: The former transport secretary accused Starmer's allies of briefing against her 'consistently and viciously,' and said the idea that there wasn't a 'cabal of men deliberately mistreating women around the government is just fanciful.' She also defended her cabinet colleagues and Starmer's former chief of staff Sue Gray, saying the way Gray was treated was 'absolutely disgraceful.'

Keir Starmer's allies (implied): The Guardian reports that Downing Street has been contacted for comment on Haigh's accusations, but no response is included in the material.