The first major reshuffle for the Starmer government, after the controversy that led to the deputy prime minister's resignation. Premiere ticked in London
Prime Minister of Great Britain Keir Starmer. Photo: Stefan Rousseau, Pa Images / Alamy / Profimedia
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, made a first major government reshuffle on Friday after coming to power in July 2024, in the context of the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Reyner, who also gave up the positions of secretary for housing and vice-president of the Labor Party, according to the BBC and AFP.
David Lammy was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of Justice. His post, as a secretary of foreign affairs, was taken over by Yvette Cooper, who had so far owned the internal business portfolio.
The position of secretary of the internal affairs was taken over by Shabana Mahmood.
It is for the first time that the external (Yvette Copper), the Interior (Shabana Mahmood) and the Finance portfolio (Rachel Reeves) are held at the same time by women.
Appointment that signals interest in the problem of immigration
The BBC describes the appointment of Mahmood in the position of secretary of internal affairs as the most significant and a clear signal that the Starmer government sees in the issue of illegal immigration and asylum policies.
The vision was also shared by Yvette Cooper, but within the British government there was the feeling that she did not make enough efforts in this regard.
Among the Labor parliamentarians, Shabana Mahmood is recognized for her harsh positions.
In 2023, she told The Times that the Labor Party must overcome the “nausea” of talking hard about immigration: “I always said we should all feel more comfortable talking about immigration.”
“My experience in the electoral constituencies is that, in fact, this does not have much to do with the race. I represent a very diverse constituency, which is formed by 70% of non-white people, and the immigration appears as a problem that my voters, who are color or Asians and belong to other ethnic minorities,” they will speak. “
Cotrorsa that led to the resignation of the deputy prime minister
Angela Rayner resigned from the Starmer government and the leadership of the Labor Party after recognizing this week, for Sky News, that she did not pay enough tax for the home she bought this year in Hove, East Sussex.
Rayner resigned on Friday after Sir Laurie Magnus, the prime minister's counselor on standards, concluded that he had violated ministerial standards.
In the letter sent, Sir Laurie mentioned that it was “deeply regrettable” that Angela Rayner did not initially request a specific fiscal consultancy, but that he believes that he acted “with integrity and a dedicated and exemplary commitment to the public service”.
However, the “regrettable” fact that he did not comply with his payment obligations, corroborated with the fact that this was established only after an “intensive public examination” made him become “with deep regret” to the conclusion that he violated the ministerial code.
They left the government and Ian Murray, who expressed his disappointment after being removed from the position of Secretary of State for Scotland. At the same time, Lucy Powell was removed from the leader of the Commune Chamber.
