British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday shook up his Cabinet after his top deputy stepped down over a tax error on a home purchase, leaving a big hole in the center-left Labour government.
Starmer carried out a major reshuffle, a forced government reboot after a rocky 14 months in office that have seen his popularity plunge. British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy replaced Angela Rayner as deputy prime minister and also took the justice portfolio. Yvette Cooper moved from the British Home Office to become foreign secretary, while British Secretary of State for Justice Shabana Mahmood became home secretary.
British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves was kept in post, meaning that the three major offices of state below the British prime minister would be occupied by women for the first time in history.
Photo: AFP
The changes came after Rayner handed in her resignation to Starmer, because an independent inquiry concluded that she had not met the ethical standards required of government ministers over her purchase of an apartment in Hove. The report concluded that she should have sought more specific advice, even though she acted in good faith.
“I take full responsibility for this error,” Rayner said in her resignation letter to Starmer. “I would like to take this opportunity to repeat that it was never my intention to do anything other than pay the right amount.”
Starmer in a handwritten letter expressed regret, but said Rayner had made the right decision.
“I have nothing but admiration for you and huge respect for your achievements in politics,” Starmer wrote.
The letter signed off “with very best wishes and with real sadness.”
Rayner is a hugely popular member of the Labour Party and was widely tipped to be a potential successor to Starmer. In addition to resigning as deputy prime minister and housing secretary, Rayner quit as deputy leader of the party, meaning that members have to select someone new.
Steve Reed was moved from rural affairs to the housing role.
The changes also saw an enhanced role for Darren Jones, the recently appointed chief secretary to the prime minister — charged with getting a grip on government communications — and a return to the British government as the secretary for Scotland for Douglas Alexander, a veteran of the government of former British prime minister Tony Blair two decades ago.
Starmer would be hoping that the bold changes allow him to seize back the political agenda following days of speculation surrounding Rayner’s future and months of turmoil for his administration.
His government has seen its support fall sharply since its landslide victory in last year’s election, following a string of missteps over welfare reform and mounting public concern about immigration.
In the UK, levies are charged on property purchases, with higher charges due on more expensive homes and secondary residences. Reports have suggested that Rayner saved ￡40,000 (US$53,974) by not paying the appropriate levy, known as a stamp duty, on her ￡800,000 purchase.
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