Sir Keir Starmer is thought to be planning a dramatic cabinet overhaul in a last-ditch effort to rescue his embattled leadership.
Insider sources indicate the Prime Minister intends to reinstate Angela Rayner and former transport secretary Louise Haigh, both of whom departed government amid controversy.
The proposed shake-up would simultaneously see two senior figures pushed out, with speculation mounting that Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Health Secretary Wes Streeting could face removal from their posts.
The potential reshuffle signals a deliberate pivot towards the left, with significant implications for Treasury policy.
“A shift to the left means a change in economic policy, which means a new chancellor,” one insider explained to the Independent.
Louise Haigh resigned following revelations about a previous conviction related to falsely reporting her mobile phone as stolen.
Despite Sir Keir’s publicly stated wish to bring Angela Rayner back into government, her return hinges on the conclusion of an HMRC investigation into unpaid stamp duty on a Brighton property that triggered her departure.
Reports this week suggest the inquiry may be resolved before the May elections, though no official completion date has been set.
Keir Starmer has eyes set on a cabinet reshuffle in a scramble to survive looming elections
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Lucy Powell, dismissed from cabinet last September over her stance on welfare reforms, is reportedly seeking a substantial ministerial role following her victory in the deputy leadership contest to succeed Ms Rayner.
Should Ms Reeves be removed amid a potential reshuffle, two names have emerged as frontrunners for the role.
Torsten Bell, currently serving as Treasury minister and formerly a policy expert at the Resolution Foundation, is considered a leading candidate.
While Darren Jones, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster who previously worked as Ms Reeves’ deputy, is also in contention.
Angela Rayner departed government following a controversy involving missed stamp duty payments on a Brighton property
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GETTYThe proposed changes represent an attempt by Sir Keir to demonstrate he can reassert control over the party and shift its direction following recent “civil disputes” between members and disobedience from backbenchers.
The electoral outlook for Labour appears catastrophic in it’s current state, with analysis from polling firm Bombe projecting the party could shed approximately 1,700 council seats in the 7 May elections, while Reform stands to gain around 1,500, and the Greens roughly 600.
The mood within the Parliamentary Labour Party has turned bleak, with potential wipeouts looming in Wales, Scotland, London and traditional northern strongholds.
The recent by-election defeat to the Greens in Gorton and Denton has only deepened concerns.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham, whose union recently cut its Labour funding by 40 per cent, has publicly voiced what many are thinking privately: “I think after the May elections there will be a move to change leader because I think Labour are going to pretty much be decimated in those elections,” she told Sky News, “I don’t think that they understand themselves how bad that will be”.
The Prime Minister’s ability to execute such sweeping changes remains doubtful, with Downing Street reportedly struggling to attract new staff.
One source told the Independent: “Nobody thinks he will survive much beyond May”.
Even if Sir Keir manages to implement his planned reshuffle, insiders suggest it may ultimately prove insufficient to secure his position.