Cabinet Unease over leaks aimed at women

As Keir Starmer's cabinet gathered last week, a female cabinet minister spoke directly to the prime minister to complain about the leaks and briefings she saw directed against other women around the table.

- Jessica Elgot

The women were listed by name, including the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson; the work and pensions secretary, Liz Kendall; and the home secretary, Yvette Cooper.

Starmer was furious and said he would no longer tolerate malicious briefings, and that there would be consequences if they did not stop.

"Cabinet really no longer feels like a safe space for genuine debate," one minister said, though other sources point out that key policies such as defence spending have not leaked.

The order from Starmer came after weeks of tension felt by some women in the cabinet. Many are tasked with some of the hardest jobs in government, which put them at the centre of public anger over welfare cuts or the toxic environment over immigration.