Rachel Reeves becomes the UK's first female finance minister, while David Lammy is appointed foreign secretary.
Newly elected UK minister Keir Starmer has announced key members of his ministerial team after his centre-left Labour Party's landslide victory in the general election ended 14 years of Conservative rule.
On Friday, Starmer appointed Rachel Reeves as finance minister, the first woman to hold the post in UK history. The former childhood chess champion and Bank of England economist has pledged to grow the country's economy while showing strong fiscal discipline.
“It is the honour of my life to have been appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer,” Reeves wrote on social media platform X.
“To every young woman and girl reading this, let us show them today that there should be no limits to their ambitions.”
Starmer appointed David Lammy, a pioneering lawmaker, as foreign secretary.
Born to Guyanese immigrants, Lammy grew up in Tottenham, an area of north London, where he has served in Parliament since 2000.
Lammy became the youngest member of parliament when he was first elected at the age of 27. He soon gained ministerial experience, serving in the governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
Lammy on Friday reiterated his support for international efforts to secure an “immediate ceasefire” in Israel’s war in Gaza and for the release of the remaining hostages after being appointed foreign secretary.
The 51-year-old said he would “work with tireless diplomacy” to achieve those two goals.
“We all recognise the agony of the communities who have seen the scenes emerging from Israel and Gaza,” Lammy said at the Foreign Office.
“But the task now is to work with tireless diplomacy to support an immediate ceasefire and move toward the release of those hostages.”
Rayner appointed Starmer's deputy
Angela Rayner, elected deputy leader in 2020 (elected independently of the actual leader by party members) will be Starmer's deputy prime minister and retain the remit for levelling up, housing and communities.
The 44-year-old has often spoken of her difficult past, growing up in a deprived housing block and leaving school early as a young mother.
She began her career as a union leader before embarking on a career as a legislator.
Yvette Cooper, who served in former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown's cabinet from 2008 to 2010 as chief secretary to the Treasury and work and pensions secretary, has been appointed home secretary.
The first surprise at the Labour leader's senior team meeting was the promotion of Lisa Nandy to culture secretary after Thangam Debbonaire, who held the shadow cabinet post, lost her seat to the Green Party.
The Cabinet otherwise reflects Starmer's shadow team, including Pat McFadden, who played a central role in shaping Labour's election campaign, being appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
John Healey has been appointed Defence Secretary and Shabana Mahmood Justice Secretary. Wes Streeting has been appointed Health Secretary and Bridget Phillipson Education Secretary.
Ed Miliband, former leader of the Labour Party and leader of the opposition between 2010 and 2015, has been appointed energy secretary. Lucy Powell will be leader of the House of Commons.
