Starmer launches first major cabinet reshuffle amid financial scandal

According to British media, Starmer on Friday carried out his first major cabinet changes since his government took office in July last year. Under these changes, former Foreign Secretary David Lammy was appointed as Justice Secretary while also taking on the role of Deputy Prime Minister. Shabana Mahmood, the former Justice Secretary, was named the new Home Secretary.

Yvette Cooper, who had previously served as Home Secretary, will now take over as Foreign Secretary. This appointment makes Cooper the seventh UK Foreign Secretary in the current decade. Domestic media have described this move as a sign of growing pressure on Starmer’s government to rebuild credibility and effectiveness.

At the same time, two cabinet members — Lucy Powell, Leader of the House of Commons, and Ian Murray, Secretary of State for Scotland — were dismissed. These decisions suggest Starmer is seeking to redefine Labour’s priorities amid widespread criticism of his handling of the recent political crisis.

The forced resignation of Angela Rayner, Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, over a tax scandal placed Starmer in a difficult position and plunged the Labour Party into one of its most serious internal crises since its general election victory. Critics have accused the Prime Minister of “weak leadership,” arguing that his continued support for Rayner until the last moment damaged his credibility.

Political observers say the recent reshuffle is less a planned reorganization and more an attempt by Starmer to contain the crisis and restore stability to his government. They argue that the rushed changes at the helm of key ministries were made not from a position of strength, but in response to pressure from the financial scandal and Labour’s declining standing.