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The New British Cabinet

  • Sarah Stook

    • The U.K. Cabinet has officially been assembled (cue IKEA jokes). Here are the men and women that make it up: 

    Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Minister for the Union: Andy Burnham

    I’ve already written about just how Andy Burnham came to be Prime Minister here, but this is a little more about him. Burnham first came to political prominence after being elected the MP for Leigh, Greater Manchester. He was most known for his work regarding the Hillsborough Disaster, in which ninety-seven Liverpool fans were killed in a crowd crush and the reaction of the South Yorkshire Police. As Health Secretary, Burnham oversaw the inquiry into excess deaths at Mid Staffordshire Hospitals. He ran for leader twice, failing in both 2010 and 2015, and also held several shadow cabinet roles. 

    Burnham stood down during the 2017 snap election to run as Mayor of Greater Manchester. He was politically prominent, focusing on transport and the COVID furlough scheme. Burnham won reelection in 2021 (delayed because of the pandemic) and 2024. He stepped down as Mayor when he was elected to Parliament in the Makerfield by-election. Burnham won the Labour leadership election with great ease and thus became PM following Starmer’s resignation. 

    Chancellor of the Exchequer: John Healey

    John Healey was elected in the Labour landslide in 1997. He held ministerial roles during the Blair and Brown years, and was in the shadow cabinet under Jeremy Corbyn and Keir Starmer. In 2017, Healey was one of three MPs who received £54K each in a defamation case. Healey was made Defence Secretary by Keir Starmer in 2024, where he was a strong backer of increased and sustained military spending. He resigned in June 2026 over the government’s unwillingness to give defence a real budget. Healey was brought back as Chancellor by Burnham.

    Foreign Secretary: Ed Miliband

    Ed Miliband first became an MP in 2005. In 2010, Miliband went head to head with his brother David for the Labour leadership and won. He became the subject of the Milifandon and somewhat of a meme (remember the Ed Stone). After the Conservatives won a surprise victory in 2015, he stepped down. Miliband entered the shadow cabinet under Starmer and was made Energy Secretary when Labour won in 2024. His pursuit of Net Zero and sky high energy bills has made him less than popular. 

    Miliband was made Foreign Secretary by Burnham- his brother David had the role under Gordon Brown.  

    (The Ed Stone for the uninitiated) 

    Home Secretary: Shabana Mahmood

    Shabana Mahmood became an MP in 2010. She first served in the shadow cabinet before becoming Justice Secretary and Lord High Chancellor under Keir Starmer. Whilst in this post, she implemented early prison release in order to tackle the severe overcrowding issue. This was controversial, especially as some of these prisoners had done some quite bad crimes. As Home Secretary under Starmer, Mahmood has been keen on tackling illegal immigration and overhauling the asylum system. Mahmood kept the role under Burnham.

    First Secretary of State, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office: Louise Haigh

    Louise Haigh entered Parliament in 2015. She served in the shadow cabinet under Starmer, including as Shadow Secretary for Northern Ireland. Upon the 2024 Labour victory, she became Transport Secretary. In the role, Haigh introduced renationalisation of the railways. In November of that year, she was forced to step down due to a historic fraud charge from a decade before. Haigh returned to cabinet under Burnham, having been a strong ally of his leadership campaign.

    Work and Pensions Secretary: Pat McFadden

    Pat McFadden entered Parliament in 2005 and was in the shadow cabinet under Starmer. When Labour won in 2024, McFadden was made Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. In 2025, he was made Work and Pensions Secretary under Starmer. McFadden has attempted to slash the massive welfare bill, but many on the Labour left are fiercely resistant to any benefits cuts to the point of rebellion.

    Defence Secretary: Wes Streeting

    Wes Streeting entered Parliament in 2015. After a spell in the shadow cabinet, Streeting was made Health Secretary by Starmer. In the role, Streeting was involved in critical and controversial matters such as NHS staff strikes and puberty blockers for minors. He initially supported Peter Mandelson during the controversy, but u-turned and became more critical. Seen as a potential challenger to Starmer, Streeting infamously resigned due to a lack of confidence in the increasingly vulnerable Prime Minister. He chose not to run for leader against Burnham, who rewarded him with the Defence Secretary role.

    Health Secretary: Yvette Cooper

    Yvette Cooper entered Parliament in the 1997 Labour landslide. She served in the cabinet under Brown and later in the shadow cabinet under Miliband. Cooper ran for the Labour leadership in 2015 but came third. After years on the backbenches, Cooper was Shadow Home Secretary for three years. She was made Home Secretary after the 2024 Labour victory, overseeing the response to the horrific Southport attack. Cooper was then Foreign Secretary before Burnham took her over to Health.

    Education Secretary: Lucy Powell

    Lucy Powell entered Parliament after a by-election in 2012 after the incumbent resigned to go after a different position. Powell served in the shadow cabinet under Corbyn and Starmer before being made Leader of the House of Commons by the latter following his victory. She has also served as Deputy Leader of Labour since 2025. Burnham made her Education Secretary following his victory.

    Energy Secretary: Miatta Fahnbulleh 

    The Liberian-born Miatta Fahnbulleh entered Parliament very recently, in 2024. As a minister, she became the first to resign in protest of Starmer. Burnham made her Energy Secretary in his new cabinet. Fahnbulleh is a strong believer in renewable and green energy.

    Housing Secretary: Angela Rayner 

    Angela Rayner became an MP in 2015. She served in Corbyn’s shadow cabinet and was Deputy Leader of Labour for five years and Deputy Prime Minister for one. Rayner resigned from her roles after a controversy over stamp duty and her housing arrangements. She was a critic of Starmer later on and was given Housing by Burnham.

    Business Secretary and President of the Board of Trade: Jonathan Reynolds

    Jonathan Reynolds became an MP in 2010. Reynolds served three successive Labour/Opposition leaders in the shadow cabinet before being made Business Secretary and President of the Board of Trade under Starmer. He served as Chief Whip for the rest of Starmer’s term before continuing in his old role under Burnham.

    Transport Secretary: Heidi Alexander 

    Heidi Alexander’s first stint in Parliament started in 2010, and she was in the shadow cabinet under Corbyn. She resigned her seat in 2018 to become Deputy Mayor of London for Transport under Sadiq Khan. Alexander returned to Parliament in 2024 and was made Transport Secretary under Starmer, replacing Louise Haigh. She has kept the role under Burnham.

    Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary: Alex Norris

    Alex Norris first entered Parliament in 2017. He had some shadow ministerial roles and responsibilities under Starmer, before getting the new role under Burnham.

    Environment Secretary: Dame Angela Eagle

    Angela Eagle entered Parliament in 1992. She held ministerial positions under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, before entering the shadow cabinet under Ed Miliband. Dame Angela ran for Deputy Labour Leader in 2015. After serving in Corbyn’s shadow cabinet, she resigned to challenge Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership in 2016. Dame Angela served in ministerial positions under Starmer before being promoted to cabinet under Burnham.

    Culture Secretary: Lisa Nandy

    Lisa Nandy became an MP in 2010. She was a shadow minister and cabinet member under Miliband and Corbyn. She ran for Labour Leader in 2020 but lost, joining the shadow cabinet again under Starmer. Nandy became Culture Secretary under Starmer and kept the role under Burnham.

    Northern Ireland Secretary: Sir Chris Bryant

    Chris Bryant joined Parliament in 2001. He was a minister under Brown and was in the shadow ministry. Sir Chris was briefly in the shadow cabinet under Corbyn before resigning and coming back under Starmer. Starmer was made a minister when Labour won in 2024 and became Northern Ireland Secretary under Burnham. As Northern Ireland Secretary, Sir Chris gets extra security protection.

    Scotland Secretary: Douglas Alexander

    Douglas Alexander first entered Parliament in 1997. He was in the Cabinet under Blair and Brown, which included his first stint as Scotland Secretary. In 2015, Alexander shockingly lost his seat to 20 year-old SNP candidate Mhari Black. Alexander worked outside of politics before returning in the 2024 election. He was made a minister under Starmer before returning to the Scotland post, which he kept under Burnham.

    Wales Secretary: Stephen Kinnock

    Former First Spouse of Denmark and son of former Labour leader Neil Kinnock, Stephen Kinnock entered politics in 2015. He was a shadow minister and PPS under Corbyn, then a minister under Starmer. Burnham made him Wales Secretary.

    Chief Whip and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury: Annelise Midgley

    Annelise Midgley came into Parliament in 2024. Midgley was an earlier and strong supporter of Andy Burnham, and was rewarded with this position. 

    Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Lords: Angela Smith, Baroness Smith of Basildon

    Angela Smith, Baroness Smith was an MP between 1997 and 2010. She was a PPS under Brown, was a minister and later lost the new seat in 2010. Smith was then made a member of the House of Lords and was Leader of the House of Lords from 2015 to 2024. Starmer gave her a cabinet position, which she kept under Burnham.

    Lord President of the Council, Leader of the House of Commons: Sir Alan Campbell 

    Sir Alan Campbell became an MP in 1997, becoming a PPS and Parliamentary Under-Secretary. He was Deputy Chief Whip under Miliband. Sir Alan wasSChief Whip under Starmer, taking the whip from seven rebellious MPs. Starmer then made him Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council, with Burnham reappointing him.

    Minister for Women and Equalities, Labour Party Leader: Bridget Phillipson

    Bridget Phillipson entered Parliament in 2010. She held shadow cabinet roles under Starmer before being promoted to Education Secretary following the 2024 election victory. Phillipson adding 20% VAT to private school fees was very controversial, though she continued to justify it. She was given her new role under Burnham, and still attends cabinet, as most Ministers for Women and Equalities have another role.

    Also Attends Cabinet:

    Chief Secretary to the Treasury: Emma Reynolds

    Emma Reynolds first entered Parliament in 2010. She had some shadow roles, including being Shadow Secretary for Communities, though she resigned following Corbyn’s election to leader. In 2019, Reynolds lost her seat in the Conservative landslide. Reynolds served as a lobbyist until winning a new seat in 2024. Reynolds was made Environment Secretary in 2025, before getting a new role under Burnham.

    Attorney General, Advocate General for Northern Ireland: Ellie Reeves

    Ellie Reeves, sister of the former Chancellor Rachel Reeves, became an MP in 2017. She had some shadow roles before being made Chair of the Labour Party and Minister Without Portfolio in July 2024. She briefly returned to the backbenches before being given the new role under Burnham.

    Minister of State, Minister for Artificial Intelligence: Kanishka Narayan 

    Kanishka Narayan became an MP in 2024. He was given a PPS and junior ministerial roles before Burnham gave him the new role of Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence.

    Minister for Intergovernmental Relations and European Relations: Hamish Falconer 

    Hamish Falconer was first elected in 2024. He was a Foreign Office minister under Starmer before receiving the new role under Burnham.

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