No plan, no momentum as Starmer brings back Gordon Brown for past answers

Sir Keir Starmer is facing fresh accusations of drifting leadership after bringing Gordon Brown back into Downing Street in the wake of Labour’s bruising local election results, with critics claiming the move exposes a Government “without direction or answers”.

The former prime minister was seen leaving No 10 after being appointed as a special envoy on global finance, in what allies described as part of a broader effort to stabilise Labour’s authority after heavy electoral losses across England and Wales.

Downing Street said Mr Brown would advise the Government on “security and resilience”, with a particular focus on how international finance institutions and private investors could support Britain’s strategic interests.

Officials confirmed the former Labour leader would engage with world leaders, multilateral lenders and private finance groups to help establish new international funding mechanisms.

Yet the timing of the appointment has fuelled speculation that Sir Keir is increasingly relying on Labour veterans as pressure mounts on his leadership following the collapse of support in several traditional strongholds.

For critics, the image of Gordon Brown returning to Downing Street carried uncomfortable symbolism: a struggling Labour Prime Minister seeking rescue from the architects of an earlier era.

Mr Brown remains one of the defining figures of the New Labour years, having served for a decade as Chancellor under Tony Blair before succeeding him in 2007.

He was credited with granting operational independence to the Bank of England and overseeing Britain’s initial response to the global financial crisis, including vast bank bailouts designed to prevent systemic collapse.

But his premiership ended in defeat after Labour lost the 2010 general election to David Cameron and the Liberal Democrats under Nick Clegg.

Now, with Labour once again facing internal unrest and growing electoral pressure from Reform UK, Sir Keir’s decision to bring Brown back into the fold is likely to deepen debate about whether the Government is offering renewal — or simply recycling the past.