Starmer Government v2.0 - Labour's Reshuffle 

Paul Nicholson, Senior Counsel 
09/09/2025

Reshuffles are rarely comfortable moments for governments. They usually occur when politics, personalities, and often scandals collide, forcing change under the pressure of events. This one was no different. Angela Rayner's resignation over the level of stamp duty she paid on her beachside house created the immediate trigger, but the context was already in place. The Labour leadership had already set out earlier last week to deliver a reboot as to create a fresh sense of energy, and the reshuffle may have delivered that in ways more far-reaching than many anticipated.

Having worked in and around the Labour Party since 2003, most recently preparing the organisation for government ahead of the General Election, I have seen enough reshuffles to know they can drift or divide. This one feels different. It has both responded to the moment and attempted to move the government's narrative forward.

That matters, because the first year of this Labour government has been bruising. Fiscal constraints resulting from the legacy of the previous government have bitten hard, limiting ministers' room for manoeuvre. Despite early successes, industrial disputes remain, including those with junior doctors and this week, with tube workers. The housing crisis remains acute, and international pressures, from increasing conflict abroad to responding to a new form of American foreign policy, have weighed heavily. Policy U-turns, from welfare reform to green investment, have damaged credibility with different sections of Labour's electorate.

Meanwhile, the party's pre-election commanding poll lead has vanished, with frustration and anger among voters who expected faster and more visible delivery. At times, the government has been accused of appearing hesitant, even out of touch, when it needed to project energy, change, and authority.

Already, though, there are signs of a reset. Shabana Mahmood, the new Home Secretary, wasted no time in focusing on, perhaps even threatening, foreign governments over the continuing migrant crisis. Today's intervention may well turn out to be the kind of confident, urgent message Labour hopes to project more widely.

Much of the pre-reshuffle speculation has proved to be nothing more than gossip. Predictions of departures for senior figures such as Lisa Nandy or Bridget Phillipson have been proved wrong – both, instead, remain. Meanwhile, at Defra, Emma Reynolds replaces Steve Reed, where there is now an entirely female ministerial team, a first for any government department in history.

But the broader political challenge remains. Labour is not only wrestling with delivery in government; it also faces a highly significant electoral fight with the Reform Party, whose populist appeal is testing Labour in heartland and marginal seats across the country. The November Budget will likely be the next decisive moment. With tax rises now looking inevitable, Rachel Reeves must strike a complex balance between showing fiscal responsibility while setting out a credible plan for growth, fairness, and opportunity that doesn't hurt working people across the country further.

The party conference in September will now take place with a refreshed team, a renewed sense of purpose, and an urgent need to show delivery. It should also be an opportunity to showcase this progress and set a clear and positive narrative ahead of what may still be another challenging year to come for the government.

For those of us who endured the long years of opposition, the moment feels familiar yet different. Reshuffles are not ends in themselves, and this one has given the government a chance to reset the dial, sharpen the focus, and regain momentum. The real test will now be if the Government can achieve this and reset the narrative on Keir Starmer's government.