Starmer wields axe in dramatic cabinet reshuffle after Rayner resignation

By lauraharris // 2025-09-08

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Prime Minister Keir Starmer launched a sweeping reshuffle involving sackings, demotions and reassignments after Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner stepped down.
David Lammy was demoted to Justice secretary but named deputy PM; Yvette Cooper became Foreign secretary; Shabana Mahmood took over as Home secretary.
Lucy Powell and Ian Murray exited government. Darren Jones, Liz Kendall, Peter Kyle, Steve Reed, Emma Reynolds and Douglas Alexander all received new or elevated roles.
A source claimed the reshuffle focused on "growth and boats," but Labour insiders called it "pointless" and opposition leaders branded it a distraction from the country’s worsening economic problems.
Starmer faces backlash amid rising inflation, unemployment and internal Labour tensions, with critics accusing him of political posturing instead of addressing the U.K.'s core challenges.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has launched a sweeping and ruthless reshuffle of his cabinet following the dramatic resignation of Angela Rayner. Rayner, who had served as deputy prime minister and housing secretary, stood down after an internal investigation found she had breached the ministerial code by underpaying stamp duty, which Brighteon.AI's Enoch refers to as paying less than the legally required amount of tax on a flat purchase earlier this year. Her resignation also included relinquishing her role as deputy leader of the Labour Party, setting the stage for a potentially bitter internal contest for her replacement. The reshuffle, which had been long-planned but was brought forward by the crisis, saw high-profile sackings, demotions and strategic repositioning of key ministers. Commons Leader Lucy Powell and Scottish Secretary Ian Murray were the most high-profile casualties, both leaving government entirely. David Lammy, previously foreign secretary, was demoted to justice secretary, although he was compensated with the powerful role of deputy prime minister. Yvette Cooper takes over from Lammy at the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, while former Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood moves into Cooper's former role as home secretary, with an urgent mandate to clamp down on illegal crossings and end the use of asylum hotels. Darren Jones, who had just been appointed chief secretary to the prime minister, replaces Pat McFadden as chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. McFadden, in turn, becomes the new work and pensions secretary, with added responsibility for skills and economic growth – a clear nod to Labour's troubled economic performance. Former Work and Pensions secretary Liz Kendall moves to head up the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, taking over from Peter Kyle, who becomes business secretary. Jonathan Reynolds, ousted from business, has been demoted to chief whip. In a domino effect of shifting roles, the long-serving Alan Campbell takes over from Powell as leader of the House of Commons. Steve Reed has been handed the critical role of housing secretary, stepping into the void left by Rayner. He is replaced at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by Emma Reynolds, who is promoted from the junior ministerial ranks. Douglas Alexander, making a comeback to frontbench politics, has been appointed as the new Scottish secretary, replacing Ian Murray.

Opposition and Labour insiders brand Starmer's reshuffle as "pointless"

The shake-up has drawn sharp criticism from across the political spectrum, with Labour insiders and opposition leaders accusing Starmer of political theater. A source attempted to frame the wide-ranging shake-up as a strategic reset, telling HuffPost UK the reshuffle was "heavy on growth and boats" – a reference to Labour's key pledges on economic revival and tackling illegal crossings. But the spin has done little to calm unrest within the Labour Party, nor to convince critics that the government is in control. One Labour insider dismissed the reshuffle as "utterly pointless," adding, "This lot wouldn't know politics if it slapped them in the face." Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also wasted no time in attacking the prime minister, accusing him of rearranging "deckchairs around on his sinking government." (Related: Keir Starmer faces renewed scrutiny over allegations he protected Jimmy Savile.) "The Labour Party is now engaged in a civil war for its deputy leadership, all of which will be an enormous distraction from the problems facing Britain, with the cost of borrowing reaching its highest point in decades and inflation and unemployment rising," she said. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey also poured cold water on Starmer's efforts, accusing Labour of repeating the mistakes of the Tory governments it replaced. "If Labour believes that having a reshuffle will solve the deep-rooted problems of this government, they are learning the wrong lessons from the calamity Conservatives before them," he remarked. "Until Starmer is ready to grab the bull by the horns and confront the problems our country really faces, it makes little difference who sits where around the cabinet table." Visit BigGovernment.news for more stories like this. Watch this video that talks about the U.K. going completely insane.

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Opposition and Labour insiders brand Starmer's reshuffle as "pointless"

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