Starmer begins naming his first cabinet

Cabinet announcements so far are in line with frontbench roles
Keir Starmer. Photo: Simon Dawson/ No.10 Downing Street

By Tevye Markson

05 Jul 2024

New prime minister Keir Starmer has begun naming his first cabinet, and like Labour's manifesto, there is little in the way of surprise – for now at least.

His selections include Angela Rayner as levelling up secretary and deputy prime minister and Rachel Reeves as the UK's first female chancellor.

Starmer has chosen Pat McFadden as chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the most senior ministerial role in the Cabinet Office. Yvette Cooper and David Lammy, meanwhile, are his picks as home secretary and foreign secretary, and John Healey has been named defence secretary.

He has also appointed Shabana Mahmood lord chancellor and justice secretary; Wes Streeting as health secretary; Bridget Phillipson as education secretary; and former Labour leader Ed Miliband, who switches from shadow secretary for climate change and net zero to secretary for energy security and net zero.

Further appointments to the cabinet include: Liz Kendall as work and pensions secretary; Jonathan Reynolds asbusiness and trade secretary; Peter Kyle as science, innovation and technology secretary and Louise Haigh as transport secretary.

All roles named so far are in line with the positions the politicians held in Starmer's shadow cabinet.

Cooper and Miliband both have cabinet experience. Cooper served as work and pensions secretary and chief secretary of the Treasury under Gordon Brown, and attended Tony Blair's cabinet as housing minister.

Lammy, McFadden Healey also have ministerial experience. 

Lammy held junior and mid-level roles in a series of departments including the Department of Health, Department of Constitutional Affairs and Department of Culture, Media and Sport and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in Blair and Brown's governments. McFadden was Blair's political secretary from 2002-2005. And Healey was economic secretary to the Treasury and financial secretary to the Treasury under Blair.

Here is the full list of Starmer’s cabinet announcements so far:

  • Angela Rayner – levelling up, housing and communities secretary and deputy prime minister
  • Rachel Reeves – chancellor of the exchequer
  • Pat McFadden – chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
  • David Lammy – foreign, commonwealth and development affairs secretary
  • Yvette Cooper – home secretary
  • John Healey – defence secretary
  • Shabana Mahmood – lord chancellor and justice secretary 
  • Wes Streeting – health and social care secretary
  • Bridget Phillipson – education secretary
  • Ed Miliband – energy security and net zero secretary
  • Liz Kendall – work and pensions secretary

  • Jonathan Reynolds – business and trade secretary and president of the Board of Trade

  • Peter Kyle –  science, innovation and technology secretary

  • Louise Haigh – transport secretary

Read the most recent articles written by Tevye Markson - ONS efforts to transform Labour Force Survey hit staff wellbeing ‘at all levels’

Share this page
Partner content