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Louise Thomas
Editor
Sir Keir Starmer has given his first speech as prime minister, telling the nation that “change begins immediately”. His first order of business is to appoint his cabinet with Angela Rayner leading a parade of new ministers.
Ms Rayner has been handed her own department as secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities taking over from Michael Gove.
There had been questions whether she might get a rovign role, but she had shadowed Mr Gove with some success and had hankered after a department.
Ms Rayner, who will in effect be deputy prime minister, will mirror the role of John Prescott who was Tony Blair’s deputy and also in charge of the department for local government and development.
Just 24 hours before people went to the polls, Sir Keir was still being coy about who would get the top jobs and refused in interviews to guarantee anybody a job.
This was partly due to Neil Kinnock coming unstuck in 1992 when he introduced his new cabinet at an infamous rally in Sheffield only to lose the election.
But many of the names of Sir Keir’s first cabinet can easily be predicted.
Already David Lammy, Wes Streeting, Bridget Phillipson, Yvette Cooper and Pat McFadden have arrived to be given jobs in the new government.
Mr Streeting told reporters: “We'll find out in a minute.''
Mr Lammy smiled at reporters' questions as he made his way through Downing Street.
Undoubtedly the first appointment will be Rachel Reeves as his new chancellor. She has played a major role in the campaign and as a former Bank of England economist has helped bring economic credibility back to Labour from the wreckage of the Jeremy Corbyn years.
Mr Streeting, another stalwart, is almost certainly going to be the new health secretary having held on to his seat in east London by just a few hundred votes.
Another clear cut choice will be the rising star Ms Phillipson who looks set to become education secretary after becoming the first MP elected on the night in Sunderland South.
Having survived a scare from a pro-Gaza independent in Birmingham Ladywood, key Starmer ally Shabana Mahmood can be expected to be invited to take on the justice secretary brief.
There is also no reason not to expect veteran Yvette Cooper in as the new home secretary although she may be eyeing another department.
The real question comes over who will be be foreign secretary. Many believe Mr Lammy was excellent as shadow foreign secretary but there has been speculation over what role he will get. The role could go to the returning former cabinet minister Douglas Alexander or even Ms Cooper.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir will have to find two replacements for his front team after shadow culture secretary Thangam Debbonaire lost her seat to the Greens and Jonathan Ashworth was a casualty of a pro-Gaza independent.
Shadow chief Treasury secretary Darren Jones has been impressive in the campaign and may get a more prominent role than Ms Reeves’ number two now an effective reshuffle is required.
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