New Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has begun appointing his Cabinet following the Labour Party’s landslide victory in the general election.
After a speech outside Downing Street in which he vowed to “rebuild trust” in politics and to put country before party, Sir Keir’s first appointment was Angela Rayner as deputy prime minister and as secretary of state levelling up, housing, and communities.
Ms. Rayner has served as his deputy leader in the shadow Cabinet since 2020 but is not considered a Starmer loyalist, having backed Rebecca Long-Bailey over Sir Keir in the Labour leadership contest.
Rachel Reeves was announced as the UK’s first female chancellor of the Exchequer in another widely expected appointment following her role in the shadow Cabinet.
There were no surprises with the appointments of David Lammy as foreign secretary and Yvette Cooper as home secretary, with both holding the corresponding shadow roles under Sir Keir. Ms. Cooper had served in former Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s Cabinet and as a minister under Sir Tony Blair.
No Surprises in 1st Batch of Appointments
Other MPs who made the expected move from their shadow role to Sir Keir’s new Cabinet include Wes Streeting, who was announced as secretary of state for health and social care, while Bridget Phillipson became education secretary and Liz Kendall took on the role of work and pensions secretary.
Shabana Mahmood was confirmed as justice secretary, while John Healey was appointed defence secretary.
Former Labour leader Ed Miliband was confirmed as secretary of state for energy, security, and net zero, while Jonathan Reynolds will take on the role of business and trade secretary.
Mr. Miliband, who led the party for five years until he lost the 2015 general election to former Prime Minister David Cameron, held the corresponding shadow role under Sir Keir and also served in Mr. Brown’s Cabinet as secretary of state for energy and climate change.
Pat McFadden was appointed chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, which in practical terms is a minister without portfolio role awarded to a senior MP who advises the prime minister on policy matters.
Glaswegian-born Mr. McFadden served as shadow to his new role while in opposition and has been an MP since 2005, playing a central role in shaping Labour’s election campaign.
Vow to ‘Rebuild Trust’ Following Low Turnout
Sir Keir said the country could “move forward together” as his party took office following 14 years of Conservative rule.He said: “Now our country has voted decisively for change, for national renewal, and a return of politics to public service.
“When the gap between the sacrifices made by people and the service they receive from politicians grows this big, it leads to a weariness in the heart of a nation, a draining away of the hope, the spirit, the belief in a better future.
“But we need to move forward together. Now this wound, this lack of trust can only be healed by actions not words, I know that.”
“But we can make a start today with the simple acknowledgement that public service is a privilege and that your government should treat every single person in this country with respect.”
He said, “My government will serve you, politics can be a force for good,” adding, “The work of change begins immediately, but have no doubt, we will rebuild Britain.”
With 648 of the 650 Commons seats declared, Labour had a large majority of 176, winning 412 seats and the Tories taking 121, the worst result in the party’s history.
The turnout figure stood at 59.85 percent, the lowest at a general election since 2001.
