Prime Minister Andy Burnham has unveiled his first cabinet, appointing John Healey as chancellor and Angela Rayner as housing secretary, while removing several allies of his predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer.
Among those leaving government are former chancellor Rachel Reeves, former justice secretary David Lammy and former business secretary Peter Kyle, as Burnham reshaped the government with allies in key posts.
On his first day in office, Burnham announced plans to scrap VAT on domestic electricity bills from October 1.
He also pledged to end rough sleeping in his first speech, and said he wanted to deliver “a new political model and a new economic model” to tackle the cost-of-living crisis.
With a significant workload awaiting the new administration, ITV News takes a look at Burnham’s cabinet appointments so far.
John Healey – Chancellor
A stalwart of Labour’s frontbench, Healey served in Treasury roles in the Blair-Brown governments, as well as in the shadow cabinets of Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn.
He then became Starmer’s shadow defence secretary, and then defence secretary after the 2024 general election.
Unexpectedly, Healey now finds himself leading the Treasury, a department which provoked his exit from government in June.
His shock resignation as defence secretary came after a row about increasing defence spending.
That proved a significant moment in Starmer’s downfall as premier.
A source in Burnham’s new ministry said Healey had been appointed because he is a trusted and experienced figure within Labour, who shares the same outlook as the new prime minister.
Ed Miliband – Foreign Secretary
Since Labour’s return to power in 2024, Miliband has served as energy secretary, with ambitious net zero targets and green energy ideas.
Rumoured to be in contention for the role of chancellor, he instead returns to the Cabinet as foreign secretary, a clear promotion that sees him become Britain’s chief diplomat.
Burnham has made it clear he intends to spend less time on foreign visits than his predecessor, and a source close to the PM said Miliband was chosen for his experience on the international stage.
Shabana Mahmood – Home Secretary
Mahmood remains as home secretary under Burnham after leading the government’s work on stricter migration policy, something the PM has previously said he supports.
Another potential frontrunner to succeed the chancellor, Mahmood remains in post as she continues to drive forward these plans and build on the government’s claimed success in reducing net migration.
There have been calls from Labour’s left to soften new migration curbs, and with Burnham’s plans to remove the whipping system for MPs, this could prove contentious.
Oxford-educated former barrister Mahmood served as justice secretary when Labour first won power, before she was appointed home secretary.
She is one of the first Muslim women elected to the Commons, having won the seat of Birmingham Ladywood in 2010.
Louise Haigh – Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and First Secretary of State
Haigh emerged as a key figure in Burnham’s return to Westminster and his successful bid for Downing Street, and was described as part of a group of “northern power women” who helped mastermind his Makerfield by-election campaign.
As Cabinet Office minister, Haigh is expected to play a central role in driving Burnham’s priorities across Whitehall, including his devolution agenda and plans to tackle the cost of living crisis.
Unlike his predecessors, Burnham has not appointed a deputy prime minister – but Haigh is considered to have this role in all but name.
Haigh was forced to resign as transport secretary shortly after the 2024 general election over a historic criminal offence relating to her incorrectly telling police in 2013 that a work mobile phone had been stolen.
She has since criticised the “boys’ club” culture at the heart of Starmer’s Downing Street operation.
Yvette Cooper – Health Secretary
Cooper, who served as home secretary and later foreign secretary in Starmer’s government, has been appointed health and social care secretary in what some Westminster watchers see as a demotion from one of the four great offices of state.
A prominent figure in the New Labour era, Cooper served in the Blair and Brown governments alongside Burnham before returning to the backbenches during Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
She has now been tasked with overhauling England’s social care system, a policy area Burnham has identified as one of his top priorities as prime minister.
Wes Streeting – Defence Secretary
Streeting was initially seen as Burnham’s main rival in the Labour leadership race after leaving Starmer’s government.
However, following Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield by-election, he ruled himself out of the contest, prompting speculation that the prime minister had offered him a cabinet role to avoid a leadership challenge.
The former health secretary has now been appointed to lead defence.
Angela Rayner – Housing Secretary
Former deputy leader and deputy PM Rayner returns to frontline government in her old role of housing secretary after resigning in September 2025 over questions around tax affairs on a property she bought in Hove.
The Ashton-under-Lyne MP was later cleared of any wrongdoing by HMRC.
Burnham has ambitious plans for the “biggest council housebuilding programme since the post-war period” and hopes self-described socialist Rayner can help him tackle this.
Her previous work in the department kickstarted the Renter’s Rights reforms, and she is a vocal advocate for trade unions and workers’ rights.
Pat McFadden – Work and Pensions Secretary
Veteran frontbencher McFadden remains in his ministerial post overseeing welfare spending and the state pension.
Under Starmer, McFadden failed to push through the controversial welfare reforms after backbench Labour MPs rebelled over concerns about the impact on those with disabilities.
He was widely seen as loyal to Starmer, and was at times described as “the real deputy prime minister” in his time as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
Jonathan Reynolds – Business Secretary
Reynolds returns to the role of business secretary, a role he held when Labour first came to power, before he was moved sideways to become the party’s chief whip.
The role has now significantly grown as Burnham announced that the Department for Science and Technology would be scrapped and brought under the remit of business and trade.
Lucy Powell – Education Secretary
Lucy Powell held a number of positions in Starmer’s top team, and continues to be Labour’s deputy leader, an appointment prompted by Angela Rayner’s exit from frontline politics.
She was the preferred choice of Labour members for that position, and won it over Starmer ally Bridget Phillipson.
Anneliese Midgley – Chief Whip
Midgley will be a member of the cabinet as she takes up the role of chief whip, the government’s chief enforcer in parliament.
The role may, however, be somewhat different under new Prime Minister Burnham, who has spoken of his plans to scrap the whipping system used to ensure MPs vote with the government.
Bridget Phillipson – Women and Equalities minister
Phillipson, a close ally of Starmer, has lost her job as education secretary, but remains as the minister for women and equalities, and will attend Cabinet.
In that role in Starmer’s government, Phillipson has overseen widely-debated reforms to Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance on trans people.
Lisa Nandy – Culture Secretary
Lisa Nandy, who has kept her job as culture secretary and is a close ally of the prime minister, was seen as something of an outsider in Starmer’s cabinet, and her Greater Manchester constituency of Wigan borders Burnham’s in Makerfield.
After Labour’s defeat in the 2019 general election, Nandy stood in the leadership election to replace Jeremy Corbyn, but she finished third behind Starmer.
Alex Norris – Justice Secretary
Alex Norris, who has been appointed as Justice Secretary, previously served as Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum.
Earlier this month, Norris said “all options are on the table” regarding the deportation of Rochdale grooming gang leader Shabir Ahmed, who was released from prison.
Dame Angela Eagle – Environment Secretary
Dame Angela served as Minister of State for Pensions and Ageing Society from June 2009 until May 2010 under Gordon Brown and returned as a minister under Starmer following shock exits from John Healey and several of his team.
She announced a leadership challenge to Jeremy Corbyn in July 2016, but withdrew eight days later, leaving Owen Smith to challenge Corbyn for the leadership.
Miatta Fahnbulleh – Energy Secretary
Miatta Fahnbulleh, who resigned as a housing minister in protest at Starmer’s leadership earlier this year, has been advising Burnham and fleshing out his policy plans.
The new energy secretary is considered to be a member of Burnham’s inner circle.
Ellie Reeves – Attorney General
Ellie Reeves, sister of former chancellor Rachel Reeves, has served as solicitor general since September 2025 and now takes on this promotion.
The MP for Lewisham West and East Dulwich is a former barrister.
Heidi Alexander – Transport Secretary
Swindon South MP Heidi Alexander will remain transport secretary, a post she has held since November 2024.
She previously served alongside Burnham in Miliband’s shadow cabinet before being appointed shadow health secretary by Corbyn in 2015.
In her hiatus from parliament between 2018 and 2021, Alexander served as Deputy Mayor of London for Transport and will be instrumental in delivering Burnham’s plans for re-nationalisation and potential bus fare caps.
Sir Alan Campbell – Leader of the House of Commons
An MP since 1997, Campbell returns to cabinet in his role as leader of the House and Lord President of the Council.
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Sir Chris Bryant – Northern Ireland Secretary
The former Anglican priest has been the MP for Rhondda and Ogmore, and previously Rhondda, in Wales, since 2001.
Earlier this month, he said the government was “actively considering” a ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements, but suggested there were challenges around determining the source of goods.
Douglas Alexander – Secretary of State for Scotland
Douglas Alexander, who has been reappointed as Secretary of State for Scotland, previously served as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Transport Secretary and International Development Secretary in the cabinets of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney said on Monday that relations with Westminster had deteriorated over the last year as he signalled he did not want Alexander to return as Scottish Secretary in Burnham’s Government.
Stephen Kinnock – Wales Secretary
Stephen Kinnock will replace Jo Stevens as Welsh Secretary after serving as a health minister under Starmer.
In his victory speech as Labour leader, Burnham thanked Kinnock’s father, former Labour Leader Neil Kinnock as an inspiration for his political career.
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