Tag Archives: parliamentary party

Mathew on Monday: is Ed putting some of his MPs ‘in the freezer’?

By Mathew Hulbert | Mon 6th October 2025 - 5:45 pm

So you might not have noticed, because to say it was beneath the radar is very much an understatement, but our leader reshuffled his top team last week. I only saw one news outlet cover it, Sky News Online. Of course, it happened during Labour Conference so, as ever, the lobby journalists attention was very much elsewhere. But is it just me or does it appear that our whole strategy as a party can be summed up with the phrase ‘under the radar’?

It was suggested to me by someone senior at Conference that it’s the ‘don’t frighten the horses’ strategy, in other words that if we remain beige and inoffensive and don’t really say anything about, well, anything and the Tories continue to implode we’re bound to take scores more Tory seats… right? I don’t know where to start with how complacent, muddled, and wrong-headed such an alleged strategy is. Even assuming it works, if we get scores of MPs elected on the basis that they don’t really believe in anything, how do they then stick up for liberal principles, like being pro immigration and LGBT+ equality, in Parliament and so on? Am I the only person who would rather we elected say 30 MPs who are clear on their liberal principles and policy positions and then can be full-throated in defending liberal values and minority rights in the chamber and on the media? Is just getting more people elected really what we’re here for…or does it actually matter what they stand for/believe in?

Anyway, back to the reshuffle.