STORY
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper has said Labour ‘did not do government very well’ during the final period of Keir Starmer’s premiership and criticised the way Downing Street operated while she was Home Secretary. Cooper made the comments during an interview on the Political Currency podcast with former Conservative Chancellor George Osborne.
Cooper said Starmer’s leadership approach was characterised by the instruction to ‘bring me solutions, not problems’ and argued that this did not always work in politics. She cited the launch of the Government’s immigration white paper in May 2025, saying the Home Office had carried out much of the policy work but that Number 10 wanted Starmer to announce it without her fronting the launch.
She contrasted that approach with Prime Minister Andy Burnham, describing his style as more collegiate and saying he wanted ministers to discuss problems as well as possible solutions. Cooper also said she wanted the Government to build broader political agreement on reforming social care and on support for young children and families based on the principles of Sure Start.