Andy Burnham wasted little time asserting control over the Labour government on his first day as Prime Minister, ousting several senior figures closely associated with his predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer, within hours of taking office.
Burnham travelled to Buckingham Palace on Monday, where King Charles formally invited him to form a government after Starmer tendered his resignation.
Speaking outside No 10 without notes, Burnham said he intended to “make this moment a circuit-breaker for Britain” and pledged “the biggest changes in the last 40 years.” His wife, Marie-France van Heel, joined him as he entered Downing Street for the first time as premier.
Starmer loyalists cleared out
The new Prime Minister moved quickly to reshape his top team, sacking several ministers widely viewed as staunch Starmer allies:
- Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, was removed from her post. She said in a statement that it had been the privilege of her life to serve as Chancellor, adding that the economy was stronger, fairer and more resilient thanks to the government’s choices over the past two years. Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, and Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, were seen as the leading contenders to succeed her.
- David Lammy, who had combined the roles of Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, was also let go. He said he would have been proud to continue serving in Cabinet, but recognised a new Prime Minister was entitled to build his own team, and said he would support the government from the backbenches instead.
- Steve Reed, the Housing Secretary, stood down ahead of Burnham’s formal Cabinet announcement. He described himself as “disappointed to be leaving Government now” in a letter to Burnham.
- Peter Kyle, the Business Secretary and a close ally of Wes Streeting, was also dismissed, with reports suggesting former business secretary Jonathan Reynolds could return to the department.
- Lord Hermer, the Attorney General and one of Starmer’s closest Cabinet allies, likewise departed, thanking Starmer for the chance to serve while wishing Burnham’s government success.
Rewarding allies
Burnham’s reshuffle is expected to elevate figures who backed his leadership bid. Louise Haigh, a prominent supporter, was reportedly offered a senior role but turned it down, according to reporting on the reshuffle.
In his first substantive announcement as Prime Minister, Burnham pledged £340 million to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. He also said he was weighing measures such as rent controls as part of a wider cost-of-living package, promising further detail on the economy the following day, and indicating he wanted policies that would make a tangible, fairly immediate difference to people’s lives.
On foreign affairs, Burnham held his first call with US President Donald Trump and extended an invitation for Trump to visit Manchester, the city he served as mayor before becoming Prime Minister.
Reaction
The reshuffle drew criticism from the Conservatives. Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy welcomed Lammy’s departure, arguing his tenure had been marked by record court backlogs and criticised his record on prison releases and jury trial reforms.
Campaigners against antisemitism also wrote to Burnham urging him to prioritise domestic action on the issue, following his recent pledge to impose further sanctions on Israel.
Polling conducted before the leadership change suggested a mixed reception among voters who had defected from Labour to Reform UK, with a majority viewing Burnham unfavourably and only a small share saying they would consider returning to Labour.
More to follow.
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