David Lammy appointed Deputy PM, Shabana Mahmood Home Secretary in UK

New Delhi, Sep 6: David Lammy has been appointed deputy prime minister and Shabana Mahmood home secretary in a sweeping cabinet reshuffle following the resignation of Angela Rayner, reports BBC.

Rayner stepped down on Friday as deputy prime minister, Labour’s deputy leader and housing secretary after the prime minister’s ethics adviser ruled she had breached the ministerial code by underpaying £40,000 in stamp duty on a flat in Hove. Rayner admitted she had made a mistake by not seeking specialist advice, saying the pressure on her family had become “unbearable”.

Her exit is a major setback for Sir Keir Starmer, coming just days after he had begun a limited “phase two” reshuffle. In response, he moved to reorganise nearly half his cabinet in the most significant shake-up of Labour’s 14 months in power.

Yvette Cooper becomes foreign secretary, joining Rachel Reeves as chancellor in a line-up that gives three of the most senior cabinet posts to women for the first time. Steve Reed replaces Rayner at housing, while Pat McFadden moves to work and pensions. Liz Kendall shifts to science, Douglas Alexander returns as Scotland secretary, and Peter Kyle takes over at business. Jonathan Reynolds becomes chief whip, Emma Reynolds environment secretary, and Sir Alan Campbell leader of the House.

Mahmood, previously justice secretary, inherits the Home Office after steering prison reform legislation earlier this week. Darren Jones adds the Duchy of Lancaster to his role as chief secretary to the prime minister. Lisa Nandy, John Healey and Wes Streeting remain in charge of culture, defence and health respectively. Rayner’s resignation also triggers a deputy leadership contest within Labour, a process that could expose party tensions and complicate Starmer’s position.

Opponents seized on the turmoil. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage declared the government “in crisis” at his party’s conference, while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Starmer of “shuffling deckchairs” after failing to act decisively. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said the reshuffle would make little difference without a clearer strategy. Rayner, first elected in 2015, had risen from union organiser to one of Labour’s most prominent figures. Her departure leaves Starmer without a close ally at the top of government and opens a new front of political uncertainty.