Andy Burnham didn't waste a single second after taking the keys to No. 10. Within hours of stepping onto Downing Street, the new prime minister completely gutted the top ranks of government. Out went key figures from the previous administration, including former Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Foreign Secretary David Lammy. In came a calculated mix of trusted allies, experienced brownites, and figures brought back from the political fringe.
If you were expecting a cautious transition, you got it completely wrong. Burnham's choice of frontbenchers signals a sharp break from recent fiscal orthodoxy toward an aggressive plan for economic reindustrialisation, regional devolution, and public sector renewal.
Here is the full breakdown of who is in Andy Burnham's new cabinet, who got axed, and what these choices tell us about where the UK is heading next.
The Big Four and the Surprises at the Top
The biggest shock of cabinet day came at HM Treasury. Most political insiders expected either Ed Miliband or Shabana Mahmood to grab the keys to No. 11. Instead, Burnham handed the top financial job to John Healey.
Healey, who resigned as defence secretary earlier this summer over military spending sprees, isn't a traditional Treasury hawk. He has long argued that Britain needs to raise defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030 and has actively advocated for innovative funding tools like defence bonds. By placing Healey at the Treasury, Burnham is signaling a distinct shift away from strict austerity without throwing fiscal credibility out the window. Healey brings deep experience from his time as a Treasury minister under Gordon Brown, giving him immediate authority with financial markets.
Here is how the top ministerial posts look right now:
- Chancellor of the Exchequer: John Healey
- Foreign Secretary: Ed Miliband
- Home Secretary: Shabana Mahmood
- First Secretary of State and Cabinet Office Minister: Louise Haigh
- Health Secretary: Yvette Cooper
- Housing Secretary: Angela Rayner
Ed Miliband moves from energy to the Foreign Office, taking charge of a complex global strategy. His first big international moments will involve managing tricky relations with Washington and handling ongoing security commitments in Europe. Meanwhile, Shabana Mahmood retains her grip on the Home Office, giving the administration a sense of tough continuity on public order, border security, and criminal justice.
The Engine Room and Key Returns
Perhaps the most significant structural change in Burnham's government is the beefed-up role of the Cabinet Office. Louise Haigh, widely regarded as Burnham's primary political operator during his campaign for leadership, takes over as First Secretary of State and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
Haigh isn't just managing administrative duties. Her post is set up as the central "engine room" driving the entire government agenda, ensuring that Whitehall departments actually follow through on Burnham's regional growth promises.
The political comeback of Angela Rayner is another massive headline. After stepping down from her previous posts following a tax dispute over stamp duty, Rayner returns as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. Her immediate focus is building target numbers for affordable housing and accelerating local planning decisions.
Yvette Cooper moves into the Department of Health and Social Care. Returning to a department where she began her career working on national health strategies decades ago, Cooper faces an enormous challenge. She has been tasked with overhauling social care and reducing long NHS waiting lists, two areas where public patience has run completely thin.
Full Cabinet Roster
To give you a complete picture of how power is distributed across the government, here is the full list of confirmed cabinet appointments:
- Chancellor of the Exchequer: John Healey
- Foreign Secretary: Ed Miliband
- Home Secretary: Shabana Mahmood
- First Secretary of State, Cabinet Office: Louise Haigh
- Health and Social Care Secretary: Yvette Cooper
- Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary: Angela Rayner
- Defence Secretary: Wes Streeting
- Work and Pensions Secretary: Pat McFadden
- Education Secretary: Lucy Powell
- Business and Trade Secretary: Jonathan Reynolds
- Culture, Media and Sport Secretary: Lisa Nandy
- Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary: Miatta Fahnbulleh
- Justice Secretary: Alex Norris
- Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary: Dame Angela Eagle
- Transport Secretary: Heidi Alexander
- Scotland Secretary: Douglas Alexander
- Wales Secretary: Stephen Kinnock
- Northern Ireland Secretary: Sir Chris Bryant
- Chief Whip: Anneliese Midgley
- Chief Secretary to the Treasury: Emma Reynolds
- Attorney General: Ellie Reeves
The Big Names Who Were Sacked
You learn just as much about a prime minister from who they fire as who they hire. Burnham pulled off a sweeping purge of ministers associated with the previous frontbench approach.
Rachel Reeves was offered alternative roles in the new setup but declined, choosing to head directly to the backbenches. David Lammy lost his foreign affairs post as part of the wider reset. Other notable departures include Darren Jones, Steve Reed, Peter Kyle, Richard Hermer, Liz Kendall, Jo Stevens, and Hilary Benn.
Clearing out these prominent figures sends an unmistakable message to the parliamentary party. Burnham wants a team totally aligned with his specific strategy, not a fragile coalition of competing factions.
What This Cabinet Reveal Tells Us About Policy
Looking closely at these appointments, three clear policy themes stand out immediately.
First, regional devolution is no longer a side project. By bringing in trusted operators like Louise Haigh and promoting former council leaders and northern MPs to major posts, Burnham is bringing his "Manchester model" directly to Westminster. The creation of a dedicated "No 10 North" office in Manchester, led by former GMCA chief executive Caroline Simpson, proves that power will be explicitly pushed away from London.
Second, the economic approach is changing course. John Healey and Jonathan Reynolds will focus heavily on reindustrialisation, infrastructure investment, and targeted state intervention. Expect to see public-private partnerships resurrected in modified forms to fund clean energy projects, transport, and local housing without blowing up the national balance sheet.
Third, social policy will focus heavily on immediate, visible public issues. Burnham declared in his very first Downing Street address that his first official instruction would be tackling rough sleeping. With Lucy Powell at Education, Pat McFadden at Work and Pensions, and Yvette Cooper at Health, the administration is prioritizing immediate relief for public services and low-income families over lengthy policy reviews.
What You Should Watch For Next
If you want to track whether Burnham's team can deliver on these promises, keep a close eye on these concrete milestones over the coming months:
- The First Treasury Budget: Watch for John Healey's inaugural budget statement to see if tax-free personal allowances are raised for low earners, and how defence bonds will be structured.
- Devolution Legislation: Pay attention to how quickly the Cabinet Office under Louise Haigh introduces new powers for regional mayors across the UK.
- Housing Targets: Track Angela Rayner's initial planning reforms to see if local councils are given direct incentives to build council housing.
- The 10-Year National Plan: Look out for the comprehensive government plan scheduled for release later this year, which will outline long-term spending priorities for energy, transport, and public utilities.
