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David Lammy has been appointed Deputy PM and will also serve as Justice Minister. Lammy was previously the Foreign Secretary
File image of David Lammy. (AFP photo)
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer reshuffled his top ministerial team on Friday, following the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner after she admitted to underpaying property tax on a new home.
In the most high-profile change, David Lammy has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister and will also serve as Justice Minister. Lammy was previously the Foreign Secretary.
Yvette Cooper, who had been serving as Home Secretary (interior minister), will now become the Foreign Secretary, replacing Lammy. Shabana Mahmood, who had been the Justice Minister, will move to the Home Office, where she will be responsible for issues like illegal migration.
The reshuffle also included new appointments across other departments such as environment, business, housing, and work and pensions, according to a statement from Downing Street.
Rayner Quit Over Tax Breach
The changes follow Rayner’s resignation earlier today, after she admitted to underpaying stamp duty—a type of property tax—on a flat she bought in southern England. An investigation had found she had breached the ministerial code by failing to follow legal advice related to the purchase.
In a letter to Prime Minister Starmer, the government’s ethics adviser Laurie Magnus wrote that Rayner had failed to take proper tax advice and therefore had breached expected standards.
Rayner, a key figure on the Labour Party’s left, also stepped down as Housing Minister and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. In her resignation letter, she said, “I accept that I did not meet the highest standards.”
“I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice,” Rayner said, adding she took “full responsiblity for this error”.
Starmer responded to her resignation by saying he was “very sad” to see her leave the government but stressed that she would remain an important figure within the Labour Party.
Rayner’s exit comes at a difficult time for Starmer’s leadership. His 14-month-old government has faced criticism over U-turns on welfare and pension policies, and rising public anger over the failure to stop illegal immigration. The populist Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage, has recently gained popularity, overtaking Labour in some polls.
(With inputs from agencies)
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
United Kingdom (UK)
September 05, 2025, 22:27 IST
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