UK: Daily Express-Starmer Wants To Remove Chancellor Reeves In Reshuffle

The Daily Express reports that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wants to remove Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves from her position as part of a major cabinet reshuffle in an effort to boost his gov'ts flagging popularity. The report claims that the PM could move Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to the Treasury.

• Daily Express: "His reshuffle would see Starmer-loyalist Pat McFadden, currently the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, shift to the Home Office as the government seeks to get a grip on the immigration crisis. Defence Secretary John Healey is also facing the bullet because of an ongoing defence spending row. The merry-go-round means Luke Pollard could replace Healey at the MoD with Labour newbie and former Royal Marine Alistair Carns tipped for a defence role."
• There has been consistent media speculation about Reeves' future at the Treasury following her poorly-received October 2024 budget, the sclerotic growth recorded in recent months, and a spike in gov't borrowing costs amid rising expectations of further tax rises or gov't spending cuts in March.
• Such a reshuffle could revitalise the gov't, giving fresh impetus after several months of being reactive in governing, or risk being seen as weak in changing chancellor (arguably the seniormost gov't minister after the PM) after less than a year in office.
• General election opinion polling continues to show a chaotic picture, with Starmer's centre-left Labour, the main opposition centre-right Conservatives, and Nigel Farage's populist right-wing Reform UK all polling ~25% in late Jan and early Feb.