Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is actively positioning herself to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister, in what critics are dubbing a 'nightmare ticket' alongside Ed Miliband as Chancellor. According to insider sources, Ms Cooper would present herself as a centrist 'unifying force' if Sir Keir is forced out after May's local elections, amid growing uncertainty over his political future.
The Caretaker Strategy and Leadership Ambitions
While Ms Cooper would publicly insist she is taking the job only on a temporary, caretaker basis ahead of a formal leadership contest, her supporters hope that after 'earning her spurs' in the role, she would be urged to lead the Labour Party into the next General Election. This manoeuvre is seen as necessary because, despite her experience, Ms Cooper ranks only 11th in party member polls for potential leaders, a lowly position that makes an open contest unlikely to favour her.
Ed Miliband's Role and Net Zero Agenda
Under this proposed plan, Ed Miliband – the former Labour leader and Cabinet minister under Gordon Brown – would serve as Chancellor. Friends of Mr Miliband say his difficult stint as leader between 2010 and 2015, symbolised by his infamous struggles to eat a bacon sandwich on camera, has removed his appetite for the top job. One source noted, 'Ed would rather be the power behind the throne than on the throne.' This arrangement would grant Mr Miliband significant influence to push through more of his Net Zero policies on climate change, which have faced criticism for increasing burdens on struggling businesses.
Political Paralysis and Succession Obstacles
The plot to appoint Labour's first female leader has emerged as Whitehall insiders report that government business has been paralysed by uncertainty over Sir Keir's future. A source revealed, 'Keir is seen as a dead man walking. So the system is basically moving on from him. People are just sitting down and waiting.' However, there are notable obstacles for other potential successors:
- Former deputy PM Angela Rayner is awaiting the outcome of an HMRC investigation into underpayment of stamp duty on her seaside home.
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting is scarred by his association with Peter Mandelson.
- Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is still trying to find a way into the House of Commons, without which he cannot launch a leadership bid.
Coalescing Around Caretaker Figures
As a result, senior party figures are increasingly coalescing around caretaker options such as Ms Cooper or Defence Secretary John Healey. A Labour MP commented, 'Yvette's name is being increasingly mentioned as someone who could come in as interim leader. She wouldn't win an open leadership contest, but the party may turn to her as an experienced hand who could steady the ship after Keir goes.'
Media Profile and Internal Reservations
Ms Cooper was recently granted a classic rite-of-passage for a Labour leadership hopeful: an extended profile in The Guardian, presenting her in premier-mode. The article depicted her jetting around the world, 'firing Peter Mandelson, convening with [US Secretary of State] Marco Rubio – then handling the fallout of conflict in the Middle East' while being 'crisp and cool.' However, it also highlighted why colleagues may have reservations, with the interviewer noting, 'It's frustrating when she talks in long, obstructive, unpunctuated answers that sound rehearsed. She comes across as robotic.'
Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride has condemned the potential leadership plan, stating, 'A Miliband-Cooper leadership plan would be a nightmare ticket for Britain – Red Ed back in charge with the same old Gordon Brown playbook that left our economy weaker and families poorer.' This criticism underscores the political challenges and public perception hurdles that any such arrangement would face in the coming months.
