Cooper — a veteran Labour politician who also served as a minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown — penned an extensive Chatham House essay on Monday giving her thesis of the global challenges facing Britain.
She highlighted the “threats on the international stage,” and said Britain needs “not just to weather the storm but steer an active course” — is that code for stability at the Foreign Office?
As one of the most senior women in government, she also warned Burnham about maintaining gender balance in his top team, telling Sky News she wants “to see as many talented women in as many posts as possible.”
A competitor for the post, David Miliband — who was foreign secretary under Brown, and has been running the International Rescue Committee since he left British politics in 2013 — is also setting out his stall as Burnham finalizes his top team. The brother of Ed Miliband will give a lecture about “power and its missing guardrails” Thursday evening.
Shamelessness rating: 8/10.
Angela Rayner
Rayner, who was once tipped as a leadership contender, wants everyone to know she is the OG when it comes to Burnham’s central policy pitch — devolution.