Why Labor couples at the heart of government are causing trouble for Starmer

Politics has long been a family affair, but in recent years there has been a trend towards government. become a family business.

While it is not uncommon for children to follow in their parents’ footsteps to become MPs and even ministers, especially last Labor GovernmentGiving spouses positions of power.

Since coming to power in July, the new Government has made a number of appointments to influential roles, forming a series of power couples operating at the heart of Whitehall.

Last month, Sir Keir Starmer He appointed Claire Reynolds as the new political director at No 10. The former director of the Working Women’s Network, which helped elect 100 female MPs, was seen as the perfect choice for the role.

Reynolds brings with him a wealth of experience at the heart of the Labor Party, including previous roles as an advisor to both Tony Blair And Gordon Brownand is expected to bring much-needed gravitas to the nascent Downing Street operation.

However, she is also the wife of Trade Minister Jonthan Reynolds. Her appointment comes on the heels of news that Joe Dancey, the fiancée of Health Secretary Wes Streeting, has been given a senior post at Labor Party HQ, part of a trend of co-appointments that runs deep into Labor and its government.

The Prime Minister’s new Chief of Staff, Morgan McSweeney, is married to Labor MP Imogen Walker, who is the parliamentary private secretary to Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

Newly elected Georgia Gould – the daughter of the late New Labor Lord Gould’s architect – is married to Alex Zatman, a special adviser to Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, while Jess Leigh, partner of Stuart Ingham, head of No 10’s policy unit, is a private person. Adviser to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

There is no suggestion that each person was appointed based on anything other than their strengths and that they were the best candidates for the job, but questions are raised about whether the trend towards appointing family members to senior government positions is positive. to good governance.

Indeed, is it logical or even possible to govern such a closely intertwined government?

Former public appointments commissioner Sir Peter Riddell said: I He said the shift towards appointing family members to senior roles is a new trend and has the potential to cause problems in the future.

“For me, this is more of a behavioral or cultural question than it is an appropriate question,” he said. “There have been occasions over the years where ministers may have been married to civil servants or similar, but care was always taken to keep them in separate departments. However, the increasing trend of political appointments from spouses or family members is a fairly new cultural phenomenon.

“These are personal appointments – other than civil service or regulated public appointments – and those involved at the moment undoubtedly believe that the decisions are sensible because they are all friends, they are all on the same side and there is no conflict, but we will do it. We have to wait and see.”

Asked whether this was conducive to good management, Sir Peter said: “As it stands, I think it’s more of a potential problem than a real problem. But there’s certainly a potential for conflict and if someone isn’t performing it can be embarrassing for those involved.”

Although there is no conflict yet between the ruling couples within the government, family ties have begun to cause ripples throughout the party.

Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield resigned as party whip in September, citing accusations of nepotism within the Keir government, while others have privately voiced concerns that the increase in peer appointments could lead to poor policymaking.

“They seem quite dangerously determined to appoint only close people who are most likely to agree with them,” a party source said. I. “There is no one there to challenge them, there are no critical friends.”

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The source added: “I don’t understand how such a small and connected pool of people can represent the country’s top decision-makers.”

A separate source echoed concerns and warned that an increase in relations within the government risked exacerbating the perception that Downing Street was dominated by cliques.

“There is already a prevalence of ‘gangs’ at No 10 because Morgan (McSweeney) is chief of staff,” said one insider. “And you’re either in the gang or you’re not. If you have a relationship with someone in the gang, then you become part of it simply through association.”

But for some, the rise of couples in politics is purely a symptom of workplace romance. Another party source said: “These are people who have spent their whole lives in Westminster politics and share the same interests, it is no surprise that they end up engaging with each other.”

For now, the presence of husbands, wives and partners may ensure fidelity, but when harder times approach, Keir may regret that his government has such strong family ties.