Starmer allies see ‘hint of retribution’ in Burnham reshuffle

Former PM’s supporters question pledge to end factional infighting after more than half his cabinet removed or demoted

Keir Starmer’s allies have questioned Andy Burnham’s pledge to https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jul/17/andy-burnham-becomes-labour-leader-final-step-towards-uk-pm">end factional infighting after https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jul/20/andy-burnham-labour-cabinet-profiles">he removed or demoted more than half of the outgoing prime minister’s cabinet in his first reshuffle.

“This was a deeply factional cabinet reshuffle,” one said. “The idea it was anything else is ridiculous.”