Overview
- Labour and Westminster sources say Keir Starmer is considering removing Chancellor Rachel Reeves in a reshuffle planned for the days after the May 7 local elections.
- Yvette Cooper is being discussed for the Treasury role, with some soft‑Left MPs instead pushing Ed Miliband, highlighting tensions over who should run economic policy.
- Critics warn the move could backfire by creating new rivals, with one source saying reshuffles tend to make more enemies than friends.
- No 10 has declined to comment on the reports, while Labour MPs Johnathan Bash and Graham Stringer have called on Starmer to resign.
- The speculation comes as the Peter Mandelson vetting row keeps pressure on Starmer’s leadership, and as local elections—often used as a mid‑term test—can prompt rapid changes in a leader’s top team.