Key facts
- Andy Burnham is the new UK Prime Minister.
- Kanishka Narayan appointed as Britain's first AI minister.
- John Healey appointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer.
- Ed Miliband appointed UK foreign minister.
- Shabana Mahmood appointed interior minister.
- Ellie Reeves appointed chief legal adviser.
- Andy Burnham created a new department, the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, to drive the UK's economy.
- The Department for Science, Technology and Innovation has been abolished.
Andy Burnham has taken office as the new UK Prime Minister, initiating a significant reshuffle of key cabinet positions and restructuring government departments. Kanishka Narayan has been appointed as Britain's first AI minister, establishing a dedicated focus on artificial intelligence within the government and within the new Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
John Healey has been named the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, overseeing economic policy. Ed Miliband will serve as the UK foreign minister, and Shabana Mahmood as the interior minister. Ellie Reeves has been appointed chief legal adviser, replacing Lord Richard Hermer KC.
Burnham has created the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, to be headed by his ally Louise Haigh, which will oversee No 10 operations in London and Manchester. Teams responsible for local growth and devolution are being moved from the Treasury and Ministry of Housing to the No 10 North unit, establishing it as a "dominant driver of the UK’s economy." The Department for Science, Technology and Innovation has been abolished, with its functions largely returning to other departments, though AI responsibilities will reside with the new Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
In his first cabinet meeting, Chancellor Healey urged ministers to identify budget savings and scrutinize spending priorities. This directive comes as Prime Minister Burnham faces criticism for an "unfunded" tax cut on energy bills, which he defended as a measure to alleviate the cost of living. Burnham stressed a "one-team approach" and the importance of fiscal discipline, aiming to avoid "briefing wars" that affected the previous government. He has pledged a 10-year plan for Britain and aims to lead a "cost of living government."