Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his inaugural cabinet on Monday, appointing 22 Labour MPs to senior ministerial roles as the party seeks to steer the United Kingdom through an economic slowdown and mounting geopolitical tensions.
The new team is led by Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, who will also retain the newly created portfolio of Finance and Economic Strategy. Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who crossed the floor to Labour last year, was given the brief for Security and Counter‑Terrorism, while former shadow foreign secretary David Lammy will serve as Foreign Secretary.
Starmer’s selection reflects a blend of seasoned veterans and rising talent. Veteran MP Jim McGovern, a former shadow defence minister, is returning to the Defence Portfolio, and former Treasury whip Angela Rayner, now appointed Deputy Leader of the House, will oversee parliamentary business. Younger figures such as MP Charlotte Nichols, appointed Minister for Digital Inclusion, and Labour’s first openly transgender minister, Jamie Wallis, named Minister for Equality, signal the party’s push for diversity.
Sources close to the prime minister said the cabinet choices were driven by a desire to balance regional representation with policy expertise. “Starmer wanted a team that could hit the ground running on fiscal reform while also projecting a modern, inclusive Britain,” one senior adviser told the BBC.
Analysts note that the retention of key economic portfolios by Reeves suggests a focus on stabilising public finances, a priority after years of borrowing pressure. “The composition shows Starmer is willing to lean on experience for the Treasury and defence, while also rewarding loyalty with new faces in culture and digital policy,” said a political commentator at the Institute for Government.
Officials warned that the new cabinet will face immediate tests, including negotiations with the EU on trade, a looming energy price cap review, and an upcoming local‑government election cycle that could reshape Labour’s parliamentary arithmetic. How effectively the team translates its stated priorities into legislation will shape the party’s credibility ahead of the next general election.