Rachel Reeves becomes the UK’s first female finance minister, while David Lammy is appointed foreign secretary.
The UK’s newly elected Keir Starmer has announced the key members of his ministerial team after his centre-left Labor Party’s landslide victory in the general election ended 14 years of Conservative rule.
Starmer on Friday appointed Rachel Reeves as finance minister, the first woman to hold the role in UK history. The former children’s chess champion and Bank of England economist has committed to growing the country’s economy while showing strong fiscal discipline.
“It is the honor of my life to have been appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer,” Reeves wrote on social media platform X.
“To every young woman and woman reading this, show them today that there should be no limits to your ambitions.”
Starmer appointed David Lammy, a pioneering legislator, as Foreign Secretary.
The son of Guyanese immigrants, Lammy grew up in Tottenham, an area of north London, where he has represented in Parliament since 2000.
Lammy became the youngest Member of Parliament (MP) when he was first elected at the age of 27. He soon gained ministerial experience, serving in the governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
Lammy on Friday reiterated his support for international efforts to secure an “immediate ceasefire” in Israel’s war in Gaza and the release of the remaining hostages after being named Foreign Secretary.
The 51-year-old said he would “work with tireless diplomacy” to achieve these dual goals.
“We all recognize the agony of the communities who saw the scenes from Israel and Gaza,” said Lammy of the Foreign Office.
“But the task now is to work with tireless diplomacy to support an immediate ceasefire and move toward the release of these hostages.”
Rayner named Starmer’s deputy
Angela Rayner, elected deputy leader in 2020 – chosen independently of the true leader by party members – will be Starmer’s deputy prime minister and will maintain the leveling-up, housing and communities mandate.
The 44-year-old has often spoken about her difficult past, growing up on a disadvantaged public housing estate and leaving school early as a young mother.
She began her career as a union leader before embarking on a career as a legislator.
Yvette Cooper, who served in former Labor Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s cabinet between 2008 and 2010 as Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Work and Pensions Secretary, has been appointed Home Secretary.
The first surprise at the meeting from the Labor leader’s top team was the promotion of Lisa Nandy to Culture Secretary after Thangam Debbonaire, who held the position in the shadow cabinet, lost his seat to the Green Party.
Otherwise, the Cabinet reflects Starmer’s shadow team, including Pat McFadden, who played a central role in shaping the Labor Party’s election campaign and was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
John Healey was appointed Defense Secretary and Shabana Mahmood was appointed Justice Secretary. Wes Streeting was appointed health secretary and Bridget Phillipson was appointed education secretary.
Ed Miliband, former leader of the Labor Party and leader of the opposition between 2010 and 2015, was appointed Energy Secretary. Lucy Powell will be leader of the House of Commons.
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
