Andy Burnham has announced his initial Cabinet picks, appointing John Healey as Chancellor and Ed Miliband as Foreign Secretary. This decision comes after Rachel Reeves and David Lammy departed from their respective positions in the Cabinet. Healey, who had previously resigned from his role as Defence Secretary under Keir Starmer, has now taken on the role of Chancellor in Burnham’s administration.
Meanwhile, Ed Miliband has been assigned the role of Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, replacing Yvette Cooper. Burnham’s Cabinet reshuffle also saw the departure of other key figures from the Starmer era, such as Peter Kyle who served as Business Secretary.
During a speech outlining his vision for the UK, Burnham emphasized his commitment to addressing issues like rough sleeping. However, his Housing Secretary, Steve Reed OBE, resigned shortly after this pledge. Additionally, Shabana Mahmood has been reinstated as Home Secretary under Burnham, retaining her position from Starmer’s Cabinet.
In other developments, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn announced his resignation from the role, expressing his support for Burnham from the backbenches. Furthermore, Foreign Office minister Baroness Jenny Chapman of Darlington also confirmed her departure from the Government due to challenges faced in cutting the aid budget.
Moreover, Nick Thomas-Symonds, the EU relations minister and paymaster general, has indicated his decision to step down from his position, pledging to continue serving his constituency. This series of changes marks the beginning of Burnham’s leadership as Prime Minister, with a focus on bringing new policies and initiatives to address various national issues.
