Keir Starmer Carries Out Major Cabinet Reshuffle After Angela Rayner Resignation
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer has made numerous major changes to his Cabinet after the departure of Angela Rayner as deputy prime minister.
Rayner quit as deputy PM and housing secretary on Friday after being found by Starmer's independent ethics adviser to have breached the ministerial code over unpaid stamp duty. She also resigned as deputy leader of the Labour Party.
Her resignation was followed almost immediately by news that the Prime Minister would carry out a major restructuring of his Cabinet.
David Lammy is the new deputy prime minister, replacing Rayner, and has also been made justice secretary.
Shabana Mahmood has left the justice department to become the new home secretary, replacing Yvette Cooper, who is the new foreign secretary.
Keir Starmer has made David Lammy the new Deputy Prime Minister (Alamy)
Elsewhere, Steve Reed has left the environment department to replace Rayner as housing secretary. He has been replaced by Emma Reynolds.
After being made the chief secretary to 10 Downing Street earlier this week, Darren Jones has been given the additional role of chancellor to the Duchy of Lancaster, making him a key figure in the Starmer government.
He replaces Pat McFadden, who has been appointed to lead an expanded department for work and pensions.
As well as Rayner, Lucy Powell and Ian Murray have left the government. They were the Commons leader and Scotland secretary respectively.
There had been suggestions that Starmer might have wanted to refresh his top team by promoting junior ministers.
In the end, however, the reshuffle was largely existing Cabinet ministers being moved around the table, with just two junior ministers being promoted.
Here are the appointments made by Starmer on Friday:
David Lammy — Secretary of State for Justice and Deputy Prime Minister
Darren Jones — Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister
Yvette Cooper — Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
Shabana Mahmood — Secretary of State for the Home Department.
Steve Reed — Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Pat McFadden — Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Peter Kyle — Secretary of State for Business and Trade and President of the Board of Trade
Liz Kendall — Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
Emma Reynolds — Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Douglas Alexander — Secretary of State for Scotland
Jonathan Reynolds — Chief Whip
Sir Alan Campbell — Leader of the House of Commons
Additional reporting by Adam Payne