Labour to be 'more Southgate, less Gove' to end divisions

The Labour government will be "more Gareth Southgate, less Michael Gove" than its predecessor in seeking to end culture war divisions and telling an inclusive story about Britain, the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, has promised.

- Peter Walker

Speaking from Berlin, where she watched England lose the Euro 2024 final to Spain alongside Keir Starmer, Nandy said that whether or not Southgate decided to stay on as the men's manager, he had made a hugely significant contribution both in terms of football and more widely.

Asked if she thought Southgate should remain in the role, Nandy told Sky News it was "not for me to say”.

She added: "But what I would just say is that the contribution that Gareth Southgate has already made to football is enormous - on the pitch, off the pitch, but also to put together that incredible team of young footballers, drawn from every community across the country, who look and sound and feel like modern Britain.