Brown, the gold, and the 'lifestyle choice' of child gang rape victims and Harman's association with pedophiles
The public spoke and Starmer says he is listening but he has just brought back failures of the past in related roles like Mandelson. What on earth is he doing?
Labours heavy losses in the local elections where they haemorrhaged 1,400 council seats across England and Wales, surrendering control of numerous councils including traditional heartlands such as Tameside, Hartlepool, and parts of Birmingham to Reform UK has resulted in a moment on sheer madness with his new appointments. This result represents a clear rejection of Keir Starmer’s government after less than two years in power and now he has done it again.
Starmer’s Misguided Cabinet Reshuffle
In response to this drubbing, Starmer turned not to fresh talent or new ideas but to two veteran figures from Labour’s past. He appointed former Prime Minister Gordon Brown as a special envoy on global finance and former deputy leader Harriet Harman as an adviser on women and girls. These moves were intended to project stability and experience. Instead they have sparked confusion, bewilderment, and criticism even among Labour MPs, highlighting the Prime Minister’s lack of direction.
Gordon Brown’s Damaging Record
Gordon Brown served as Chancellor and then Prime Minister during the New Labour era that many believe contributed significantly to Britain’s current challenges. His record includes several high profile failures.
He expanded the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) in the NHS, saddling hospitals with long-term debts far exceeding the original build costs and draining resources from patient care for decades.
As Chancellor he sold off hundreds of tonnes of UK gold reserves at historically low prices between 1999 and 2002, a decision widely criticised as poorly timed and costly to taxpayers in the long term.
His 1997 pension tax raid removed dividend tax credits for pension funds, a move that delivered short-term revenue but contributed to the decline of final-salary schemes and reduced retirement incomes for millions.
Brown was also caught on a live microphone in 2010 describing a concerned voter, Gillian Duffy, as a bigoted woman after she raised issues about immigration. During his time in government, reports of grooming gangs in places such as Rotherham were emerging with further reports he described the victims who were just kids as undertaking a ‘lifestyle choice’ which we knew even back then it was untrue. His failure to act decisively allowed these scandals to continue, ruining 100,000 of young lives. Along with Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell, Brown bears responsibility for policies that prioritised ideology over the protection of vulnerable British girls and the concerns of working class communities.
Harriet Harman’s Controversial Past
Harriet Harman’s appointment as adviser on women and girls is equally perplexing given her history. In the late 1970s, while working as legal officer for the National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL), the organisation had links to the Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE). Documents associated with the NCCL, including some involving Harman, argued against certain restrictions on child pornography images unless harm could be proven and engaged with broader debates on age of consent issues.
Harman has consistently denied personal support for PIE or lowering the age of consent and has condemned child exploitation. Nevertheless, her involvement in an organisation that tolerated such affiliations raises serious questions about judgment, particularly in a role focused on protecting women and girls. This history sits uncomfortably alongside her new responsibilities.
The Failures of Establishment Labour
These appointments signal a return to the very figures and mindset that many voters associate with Britain’s decline: open borders, economic mismanagement, and a willingness to overlook cultural issues in the name of political correctness. Far from restoring confidence, they reinforce the perception that Starmer’s Labour is out of touch and short of new ideas. The public delivered a clear message at the ballot box. Recycling discredited veterans only deepens the disillusionment.
We Need To Give People A Choice Of Something Genuinely New
Britain needs a clean break from the failed politics of the past. Restore Britain, under leaders like Rupert Lowe, offers a genuine alternative focused on restoring national sovereignty, controlling immigration, prioritising British workers, and putting the interests of our own people first. Their policies directly address the failures exposed by Labour’s local election losses and the recycled establishment figures now propping up Starmer. Rupert has already confirmed that he is dedicating his life to finding new candidates who are not tainted by previous government failures from various fields like Science, Medicine, Business and Technology.
Only by rejecting the old guard and embracing Restore Britain’s common sense approach can we protect our communities, secure our borders, and rebuild trust in government. The voters have spoken. It is time for real change, not just shuffling the cards like Starmer and Reform with their old rejected Tories.