Starmer refuses to rule out joining a national government
THE new Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has refused to rule out forming a national government with the Conservatives to steer the country through the coronavirus crisis.
Sir Keir said he would not offer to join a Boris Johnson-led administration “at the moment” hours before he received his first secret briefing on the crisis from Government officials.
Sir Keir, right, is due to hold talks via video link with Mr Johnson in the next few days after accepting an offer from the Prime Minister on Saturday.
There has been speculation among moderate MPS that Labour and the Tories should form a national government to agree an approach to the crisis.
In a television interview, Sir Keir refused three times to say whether he would agree to form a national government to deal with the pandemic.
Sir Keir said: “Getting the balance right is important here. We’ve got to be constructive. We’ve got to pull together, support the Government where it’s right to do so. But asking those difficult questions matters.”
Asked if he would join a national government, he replied: “Well, at the moment I’ve set up arrangements with the Prime Minister that he and I have agreed, and we will work to those arrangements in the coming weeks.”
Hours after the interview, Sir Keir was briefed on “privy council terms” – which means he cannot disclose what he was told – on the Government’s approach to the crisis by Sir Mark Sedwill, the Cabinet Secretary, Prof Chris Whitty, the Government’s Chief Medical Officer and Sir Patrick Vallance, the Chief Scientific Officer.
Two former Labour leaders have warned Sir
Keir against entering a national government.
Lord Kinnock told
Prospect magazine: “There are several ways for political parties to manifest common purpose without a government of national unity.”
Jeremy Corbyn cautioned against the idea, telling The Daily Telegraph: “If everybody got together and said ‘we’re all absolutely in this together we won’t criticise each other’ – that is a negation of what our democratic society is about.”
Sir Keir last night unveiled the senior members of his shadow cabinet as Anneliese Dodds, a former shadow treasury minister, replaced John Mcdonnell as shadow chancellor. Lisa Nandy, his leadership rival, was made shadow foreign secretary, replacing Emily Thornberry, who will get a more junior role. Nick Thomas-symonds is the new shadow home secretary, replacing Diane Abbott, who leaves the front bench. Rachel Reeves is the shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster while Jonathan Ashworth stays as shadow health secretary. Nick Brown was reappointed chief whip and Angela Smith stays shadow leader of the Lords. Barry Gardiner, Jon Trickett and Ian Lavery left the shadow cabinet.