Starmer loyalists plot 'autumn of revenge' after Burnham's brutal reshuffle - including 'forensic focus' on ensuring new PM sticks to Labour manifesto

By CHRISTIAN CALGIE, SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT-AT-LARGE and BRENDAN CARLIN Published: 22:16, 25 July 2026 | Updated: 22:24, 25 July 2026 Keir Starmer's allies are plotting an autumn of revenge on Andy Burnham in response to last week's brutal reshuffle and unfunded policy announcements. They are vowing to hold the new Prime Minister's feet to the fire over his stated ambition to unleash the biggest changes in UK politics for 40 years. Their efforts will include a 'forensic focus' on ensuring Mr Burnham sticks to the party's 2024 manifesto on tax. And The Mail on Sunday can reveal Sir Keir's loyalists are eyeing up a new parliamentary group to ensure his successor maintains 'economic competence' in the run-up to the Budget. Attention is also moving to the upcoming election of a new Labour general secretary this September, with pro-Starmer allies on the party's National Executive Committee able to pick someone who would make Mr Burnham's life harder when it comes to candidate selection and party discipline. It is understood Starmer loyalists will maintain a 'ceasefire' over the summer, while those left out in the cold by the new administration retreat abroad, or to their gardens, to lick their wounds and regroup. One MP said: 'The Starmerites are around the BBQ, and saying 'best of luck, let's check back in September and see how you're getting on'.' The backlash to last week's reshuffle emerged amid claims it was 'one of the most factional purges that the Labour Party's ever experienced', a 'massacre', and a 'punishment beating'. Those to be culled from the Cabinet included former Chancellor Rachel Reeves, ex-Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and Steve Reed, who was Housing Secretary. Keir Starmer's allies are plotting an autumn of revenge on Andy Burnham in response to last week's brutal reshuffle and unfunded policy announcements First Secretary of State Louise Haigh has been dubbed as one of the two new 'Queen Bees of the court of King Andy' The appointment of Chief Whip Anneliese Midgley 'has rubbed a lot up the wrong way' amod whisperings Keir Starmer's allies are plotting an autumn of revenge on Andy Burnham Senior figures blamed what MPs dubbed the two new 'Queen Bees of the court of King Andy' – First Secretary of State Louise Haigh and Chief Whip Anneliese Midgley – for the brutal nature of the reshuffle. One Burnham critic said: 'This was first and foremost Lou Haigh's reshuffle and it was a punishment beating of Starmer loyalists.'  Another pointed the finger at Ms Midgley, who was Mr Burnham's surprise pick to oversee parliamentary party discipline. A former minister even claimed the Knowsley MP, who used to work for ex-Unite union leader Len McCluskey and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, now exerted a 'hard-Left' grip on the Burnham Government. A fellow long-standing party source branded Ms Haigh and Ms Midgley 'political thugs' who had behaved like 'factional Mafioso'. Even self-proclaimed friends of Ms Midgley weighed in, confessing: 'To go from not even a frontbencher to Chief Whip has rubbed a lot up the wrong way.' Allies of Mr Burnham dismissed the hard-Left claim as nonsense, arguing Ms Midgley had also worked for Sir Keir. Meanwhile, some Starmer loyalists recalled how in autumn 2021, allies of the then Manchester mayor had given Sir Keir a year to prove he could turn the polls around and lead against the Tories. At the time, Mr Burnham's camp denied the ultimatum existed. But yesterday, Starmer's allies made clear they would also subject the Prime Minister to their own tests and measures in the autumn. One indicated that would include making sure Mr Burnham did not breach Labour's famous 2024 tax pledges to fund his new promises. At least one former Cabinet minister is closely watching the polls to see whether the so-called 'King of the North' can open up a sustained lead over Reform UK. Senior Labour MP and ex-minister Graham Stringer said: 'Threats by vengeful Starmerites that they will ambush Andy in the autumn are frankly laughable. Starmer and his inner circle had no idea how to govern. 'A period of silence from these incompetent ex-ministers would be most welcome.'