London, United Kingdom. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Saturday appointed former Prime Minister Gordon Brown as his special envoy on global finance. The move comes after Labour recorded its worst local election losses for a governing party since 1995.
Appointment and remit
Starmer’s office said Brown, a senior figure in the Labour Party, would join the prime minister’s team to advise on how global finance can support Britain’s security and resilience. Brown is credited with helping shore up banks during the global financial crisis.
Election setback and leadership pressure
Starmer has faced mounting pressure after Labour’s performance in local elections, with a growing number of Labour lawmakers calling on him to resign. Starmer said on Friday he would remain as leader as the scale of the defeat became clear.
Final results
As final votes were counted on Saturday, Labour’s losses stood at 1,406 seats. That exceeded the 1,330 seats lost by former Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative Party in 2019, after which May resigned three weeks later.
How do you think Gordon Brown’s appointment could affect Starmer’s leadership and Labour’s strategy on economic policy?