Sir Keir Starmer's new cabinet: Prime Minister begins appointing ministers

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Sir Keir Starmer has begun appointing his new cabinet with Angela Raynor and Rachel Reeves first to be announced.

After a busy morning meeting with the King and greeting supporters inside and outside of 10 Downing Street, Sir Keir Starmer has settled in to nitty gritty of selecting his Cabinet Ministers. While we don’t know the conversations going on behind closed doors, we do get a heads-up on who is being selected as we see ministers making their way into Number 10.

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Westminster watchers do not expect major changes to Sir Keir’s top team, with Angela Rayner the first pick for his new Cabinet, appointing the Ashton-under-Lyne MP as Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, tand also naming her as Deputy Prime Minister. Ms Rayner has served as Sir Keir’s deputy leader since 2020 Another expected appointment came next with Rachel Reeves handed the job of Chancellor of the Exchequer, becoming the first woman to take charge of the Treasury. The former Bank of England economist retains the brief she held in the shadow cabinet, as expected.

The MP for Leeds West and Pudsey described the appointment as “the honour of my life” and a sign for all women and girls that there should be “no limit to your ambitions”. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) Ms Reeves said: “It is the honour of my life to have been appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer. Economic growth was the Labour Party’s mission. It is now a national mission. Let’s get to work.”

She added: “To every young girl and woman reading this, let today show that there should be no limit to your ambitions.”

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Newly elected Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has begun appointing his cabinet ministers. Picture: James Manning/PA WireNewly elected Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has begun appointing his cabinet ministers. Picture: James Manning/PA Wire
Newly elected Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has begun appointing his cabinet ministers. Picture: James Manning/PA Wire | James Manning/PA Wire

There had been some questions over whether David Lammy would keep the role he held in the shadow cabinet after he kept a relatively low profile during the election campaign, however, he has been appointed as Foreign Secretary.

Yvette Cooper has been named Home Secretary and John Healey is the Defence Secretary, No 10 has also confirmed. Pat McFadden has been appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. As national campaign coordinator, he has played a central role in shaping Labour’s direction in the run-up to the election.

The next batch of Cabinet appointments announced by No 10 saw Shabana Mahmood named Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. The former barrister, a key ally of the new Prime Minister, held on to her Birmingham Ladywood seat despite a challenge from an pro-Gaza Independent candidate.

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Wes Streeting is the new Health Secretary after clinging on to his Ilford North seat by just a few hundred votes. Bridget Phillipson has been appointed Education Secretary. She became the first MP elected overnight as her constituency, Houghton and Sunderland South, was the first to declare results.

Sir Keir Starmer also appointed Ed Miliband Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. The MP for Doncaster North led the Labour party from 2010 to 2015.

Sir Keir Starmer has named Liz Kendall Work and Pensions Secretary, Downing Street in the latest Cabinet appointments. Jonathan Reynolds is Business and Trade Secretary and the president of the Board of Trade.

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The new Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology is Peter Kyle. Louise Haigh was made Transport Secretary, with all retaining the roles they held in the shadow cabinet.

In the first surprise of Sir Keir Starmer’s Cabinet assembly, Lisa Nandy was promoted to Culture Secretary. It comes after the holder of the brief in his shadow cabinet, Thangam Debbonaire, lost her Bristol Central seat to the Green Party.

Ms Nandy was previously shadow cabinet minister for international development, having been demoted from shadow levelling up secretary in the Labour leader’s last reshuffle in 2023.

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Other expected appointments announced by Downing Street saw Steve Reed named Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary, Hilary Benn Northern Ireland Secretary, Ian Murray Scotland Secretary and Jo Stevens Secretary of State for Wales.

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