Andy Burnham has unveiled his top team as Rachel Reeves and David Lammy departed the government, with the new PM pledging ‘the moment when Britain starts to believe again’
Andy Burnham has announced a major change in personnel at the top of government hours after becoming Prime Minister.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves was among the high-profile names axed as the new PM installed his top team – with John Healey named as her surprise replacement.
Shabana Mahmood remains Home Secretary, while Ed Miliband was named as Foreign Secretary. And there was a return to government for Angela Rayner less than a year after she stepped down as Deputy PM.
Other high-profile departures include Keir Starmer’s deputy PM, David Lammy., as well as Liz Kendall, Peter Kyle and Steve Reed. There was a return to the top table for Angela Rayner and Louise Haigh.
Who’s in:
John Healey – Chancellor of the Exchequer
In one of his first surprise moves as PM, Andy Burnham announced John Healey as his new Chancellor, replacing Rachel Reeves.
It comes just weeks after his dramatic resignation as Defence Secretary – lashing out at the Treasury for not setting aside enough cash for defence.
One of the longest-serving MPs on the Labour benches, Mr Healey has been in Parliament since 1997 and held government roles under Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Keir Starmer.
Mr Healey last month threw Mr Starmer’s government into turmoil, saying the PM’s Defence Investment Plan failed to meet the challenges the country faces.
A respected figure on the international stage, Mr Healey has also been a housing minister and junior Treasury minister in the early 2000s – so he does have experience in his new field.
Shabana Mahmood – Home Secretary
Some Whitehall mischief in recent days saw Shabana Mahmood linked with the Chancellor job. But Andy Burnham had other ideas and decided to keep her in post.
Ms Mahmood is a lightning rod figure for the Labour left – but has a record for delivery which few can match. It has been well known that she wants to remain in the Home Office.
Just last week she set out a controversial Immigration and Asylum Bill, with measures including charging successful asylum seekers £10,000 to cover the cost of support they received.
A separate set of hardline immigration polices, which include doubling the standard time a person qualifies for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) sparked a backbench fury last year. Ms Mahmood, who as a youngster helped her dad run a corner shop, often observes that she is the most right-wing person in the room.
A lawyer who studied at Oxford, the Cabinet member also chairs Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and was initially Justice Secretary when Labour came to power. She held a junior shadow Treasury role under Ed Miliband, but refused to serve on the frontbench under Jeremy Corbyn.
Ed Miliband – Foreign Secretary
If some reports were to be believed a few weeks ago, Ed Miliband was in line to become Chancellor under Andy Burnham.
But the former Labour Party leader has instead been appointed Foreign Secretary – the same post his former nemesis, David Cameron, took in the last months of the Tory government. An experienced operator, Mr Miliband has served as Energy Secretary since the general election, becoming the face of the government’s Net Zero drive.
He has been an MP for over two decades, representing Doncaster North since 2005. Following Gordon Brown’s resignation, he became leader of the Opposition. He beat rivals including his brother David and – awkwardly – Mr Burnham, who was eliminated in the first round.
A popular figure on the Labour left, he was thought to be on the cusp of becoming PM at the 2015 general election following positive polling – but a wipeout in Scotland proved costly and the Tories got a comfortable majority.
Louise Haigh – First Secretary of State and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
One of Andy Burnham’s key allies in Parliament, Louise Haigh returns to the Cabinet after more than 18 months on the backbenches.
She was Keir Starmer’s pick as Transport Secretary when Labour returned to government. During her five months in office she pushed through groundbreaking legislation to bring railway companies into public ownership.
Ms Haigh also secured more than £1billion to improve bus services across the country. But she was forced to quit after it emerged she had pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation in 2014 by reporting a work mobile phone stolen – only to later find it in a drawer.
Earlier this month Ms Haigh, a key figure on the Labour ‘soft left’, revealed Mr Burnham had been planning what he would do in No10 for more than a year. She said: “He has spent that time thinking very deeply about how the country is run, what holds regions like Greater Manchester, and therefore most regions and the devolved nations of this country, back.”
Pat McFadden – Work and Pensions Secretary
One of Keir Starmer’s closest allies, Pat McFadden has a reputation as a safe pair of hands across Westminster.
He was shifted to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) last year in a reshuffle after welfare reforms championed by Liz Kendall had to be torn up. Mr McFadden was drawing up his own proposals under Mr Starmer, but Andy Burnham has already indicated he does not favour headline-grabbing cuts.
The Wolverhampton South East MP was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster from 2024, having previously held ministerial roles under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
His calm demeanour is respected across government, and he is often dispatched to face the media on difficult days.
Yvette Cooper – Health Secretary
Yvette Cooper is one of the most experienced figures in Andy Burnham’s new team.
Since 2024 she has held two of the great offices of state – firstly as Home Secretary and then as Foreign Secretary. She was Work and Pensions Secretary and chief secretary to the Treasury under Gordon Brown, and held junior ministerial roles under both Gordon Brown and Tony Blair.
Ms Cooper stood for party leader in 2015 after Ed Miliband stood down, losing out to Jeremy Corbyn. She is another name who has been linked with the Chancellor’s job.
Angela Rayner, Housing and Local Government Secretary
The former Deputy PM is back in government following months of speculation about a leadership challenge.
Angela Rayner was made Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary following the general election and championed the landmark Employment Rights Act. A popular figure on the left of the party, she has spoken out against Shabana Mahmood’s immigration reforms, branding them “un-British” – but will have to fall in line when she returns to government.
It also emerged she had warned Keir Starmer against appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US in 2024. She was forced to quit after it emerged she had underpaid stamp duty on a flat purchase in Hove by £40,000.
Ms Rayner admitted the error, stating it was not intentional, and was later cleared of wrongdoing by HMRC.
Lucy Powell, Education Secretary
There is a return to the Cabinet for Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell, who was sacked by Keir Starmer a year ago.
Ms Powell, who served as Leader of the House of Commons from July 2024 to September 2025, is a popular figure on the Labour left. She was voted deputy party leader in a run-off following Angela Rayner’s resignation – but not rewarded with a government role.
The Labour stalwart, an MP since 2012, has held shadow Cabinet posts under Keir Starmer and Jeremy Corbyn – including shadow Education Secretary and Housing Secretary.
The Manchester Central MP will know Andy Burnham well, having worked with him both in opposition and during the PM’s tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester.
Jonathan Reynolds, Business and Science and Technology Secretary
Jonathan Reynolds made a return to Cabinet in what appears to be two roles combined.
Mr Reynolds had served as Business Secretary until September last year, before becoming chief whip.
While popular among Labour MPs, there was frustration at his performance as chief whip, with many suggesting they were wasting one of their best communicators in the wrong role.
Mr Reynolds previously served in Ed Miliband’s shadow Cabinet, as well as Jeremy Corbyn’s.
Anneliese Midgley, Chief Whip
A key strategist in the Makerfield by-election, the Knowsley MP became an MP in 2024.
She welcomed Andy Burnham on stage at his victory rally last month, and was one of the two MPs chosen to formally introduce him for his Commons serving in.
On the left of the party, Ms Midgley was previously Jeremy Corbyn’s chief of staff, and is secretary of the Trade Union Group of Labour MPs.
No10 announced she is the new Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip). She will be a member of the Cabinet.
Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Ms Nandy was the first cabinet member to join Mr Burnham on the campaign trail in Makerfield, and has been tipped for a job in his cabinet.
During her 16 years in Parliament, she has served as Culture Secretary, as well as Shadow Foreign Secretary and Shadow Housing Secretary under Keir Starmer.
She was also Shadow Energy Secretary under Jeremy Corbyn, but stepped down in 2016 in protest at his leadership. Ms Nandy stood for Labour leader after Mr Corbyn’s resignation in 2019, ultimately losing out to Mr Starmer.
A centre left politician, she worked in the charity sector and as an advisor to former Labour MP Neil Gerrard before getting into Parliament.
Bridget Phillipson, full member of Cabinet as Minister for Women and Equalities
In recent weeks Ms Phillipson, Keir Starmer’s Education Secretary, has been locked in a spat with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who labeled her a “spiteful class warrior”.
Since Labour’s general election victory she has been a central figure in government, overseeing the strategy to tackle child poverty and recruit thousands of teachers.
Her argument with Mrs Badenoch stems from the policy of closing a VAT loophole for private schools. Last month, Ms Phillipson said she would have a t-shirt printed with the Tory leader’s words on it, saying she is proud of her record pulling children out of poverty.
Who is out
Rachel Reeves
The highest-profile departure is Keir Starmer’s Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who announced this afternoon she is not taking another government role.
It had been widely expected that Ms Reeves would be offered a role at the top table, albeit less senior than the one she previously held. In a message confirming her departure, she said: “The economy today is stronger, fairer and more resilient because of the choices we have taken as a Labour Government over the past two years.
“Stability restored, investment delivered and reform to our economy under way. I said when I was appointed Chancellor that I would judge my time in office if the lives ordinary working class people have been improved. I’m proud to say that they have.”
David Lammy
The former Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy announced he is out this afternoon.
In a post on X, he wrote: “I am immensely proud of what we achieved, in Opposition and in Government. As Foreign Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister, I helped rebuild Britain’s relationships with our European allies after the catastrophic Brexit years, stood steadfastly with Ukraine in its darkest hours, championed a new partnership of equals with the Global South and was proud to play a leading role in Britain’s recognition of the State of Palestine.”
He continued: “I will continue to serve the great people of Tottenham, support this Labour government from the backbenches and do everything I can to help defeat Reform again at the next general election.”
Darren Jones
Keir Starmer loyalist Darren Jones was among the high-profile casualties.
Mr Jones, a regular in TV studios in recent months defending his old boss, posted on X: “Andy Burnham has called to tell me I won’t be a part of his new Cabinet. I wish him and his team every success.”
He went on: “I wish the new government every success. With Reform on the verge of imploding, an irrelevant Conservative Party and a tired SNP, there are big opportunities for Labour to push on.”
Liz Kendall
The Technology Secretary Liz Kendall is out.
Ms Kendall, who was Work and Pensions Secretary during the welfare rebellion last year, said the new PM will take the country from “strength to strength”.
In a statement published on social media, the former Labour leadership contender siad: “I wish whoever takes on the science and technology portfolio the very best for the future. She or he is fortunate to be overseeing, what is to my mind, the most exciting and transformative brief in government.”
Steve Reed
Keir Starmer loyalist and former Housing Secretary Steve Reed was one of the first to announce he was out.
In a letter shared on social media, Mr Reed wrote to the new Prime Minister: “Dear Andy, serving as the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has been the honour of my life and although I am disappointed to be leaving Government now, I wish your new team every success.
“We won power the hard way. I was part of the campaign that fought to save our party and take it back to power against all the odds after our worst-ever election defeat. In 2017, I set up a group that played a significant role in exposing and driving out the anti-Jewish racists who’d occupied our party and led it to being found institutionally racist. I was proud to be part of the team that then turned the party around under Keir’s leadership and took us forward to a landslide election victory.”
Peter Kyle
Another name departing is Peter Kyle, who was Business Secretary this morning.
Mr Kyle is an ever-present in Cabinet since Labour came back to power, having been Technology Secretary from July to September 2025 before being moved in a reshuffle.
It had been expected that the MP for Hove and Portslade would make way.
Lord Richard Hermer
Keir Starmer’s attorney general, Lord Richard Hermer, was also among those leaving government.
He said in a post on BlueSky that it has been “the privilege of my life” to serve in the post for the last two years, adding he was especially proud of the Hillsborough Law and rebuilding the UK’s reputation abroad.
“I will continue to support this Labour government from the backbenches, as it delivers the change this country desperately needs. Andy and his team know they have my utmost support, and I wish them nothing but success.”
