Furious female Labour MPs urge Starmer to make a woman his de facto deputy

"But it's easier to say let's change culture than to make it happen. The first secretary role would turbocharge the government's pledge to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade, she said. It would deal with culture change, but it would also hold every government department accountable for what they are doing on women, and empower the work on women that's happening in each of those departments."

"Harman told Starmer to appoint a woman as first secretary of state, the most senior cabinet member after the prime minister and his de facto deputy. She said it would be really powerful if the role was given to a woman. We need a complete culture change, and I think everybody recognises that, Harman told the Guardian. But it's easier to say let's change culture than to make it happen."

"Starmer faced a packed meeting of the parliamentary Labour party on Wednesday after a torrid prime minister's questions during which he faced repeated questions about Mandelson and his former communications chief Matthew Doyle, who it was revealed had campaigned on behalf of friend who at the time had been charged with possessing indecent images of children."

Female Labour MPs demanded a senior woman be appointed as first secretary of state to act as de facto deputy and drive a complete culture change in Downing Street. The role was urged to be revived to hold departments accountable, empower work on women and support a pledge to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade. Anger among Labour ranks, particularly female MPs, followed revelations linked to Peter Mandelson and former communications chief Matthew Doyle. Keir Starmer faced intense questioning at prime minister's questions and a packed parliamentary meeting amid calls for urgent institutional reform.

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