Andy Burnham is set to lead his first Cabinet gathering following a significant reorganization that saw numerous allies of Keir Starmer relegated to the backbenches. The newly appointed Chancellor, John Healey, will resume his position at the helm, just weeks after resigning dramatically as Defence Secretary. In a bold move criticizing his predecessor Rachel Reeves and Starmer, Healey accused the Treasury of inadequately funding national defense. He now heads the department, while Wes Streeting, who also resigned last month in protest against Starmer’s leadership, reclaims his former role.
Ed Miliband will make his debut as Foreign Secretary at the meeting, alongside Shabana Mahmood continuing her role as Home Secretary after introducing extensive asylum system reforms the previous week. In a series of late announcements, Yvette Cooper, with prior experience leading the Home Office and Foreign Office, was reassigned to Health Secretary.
Returning members to the Cabinet include Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Louise Haigh, and Education Secretary Lucy Powell. Among the new additions are Burnham’s associates Anneliese Midgley and Energy Security Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh.
The Prime Minister, who assumed office recently, pledged to unveil the most substantial changes the UK has witnessed in four decades. In an address outside No10, he expressed the desire to reignite faith and hope within Britain.
Notably, this Cabinet session marks the first under Labour’s current government without Rachel Reeves, David Lammy, Peter Kyle, or Liz Kendall. They were removed in one of Burnham’s initial acts as Prime Minister, along with Starmer’s associates Steve Reed and Lord Richard Hermer.
On his inaugural day, Burnham vowed to address homelessness, emphasizing the importance of upholding values and standards in governance. Additionally, the government announced an £850 million tax reduction on energy bills to alleviate the burden of the cost-of-living crisis. Starting October 1, energy bills will be exempt from VAT, providing households an average saving of £45.
The tax cut is partly funded by discontinuing Starmer’s digital ID project, which was estimated to cost around £600 million annually over three years. The Prime Minister highlighted the immediate relief the tax cut would offer, injecting more funds into people’s pockets and fostering optimism.
Healey echoed the sentiment, indicating that the energy tax reduction would ease financial pressure on families and help combat inflation while supporting households nationwide. The measure for this year is financed by scrapping the digital ID program, aligning with the government’s commitment to mitigate economic challenges and enhance public welfare.
