Sir Keir Starmer chaired his first cabinet meeting as Prime Minister following Labour’s landslide victory, ending 14 years of Conservative rule.
The meeting, held at 10 Downing Street, was marked by optimism and a sense of urgency as Starmer addressed his newly appointed cabinet.
“It is absolutely fantastic to welcome you to Downing Street,” Starmer told his top team. “We have a huge amount of work to do, so now we get on with our work.”
The Labour leader, who made minimal changes to his frontbench team, underscored the honour of being invited by King Charles III to form the government, calling it “the honour and privilege of my life.”
Among the key figures in the cabinet are Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, and Foreign Secretary David Lammy. Other notable appointments include Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, and Defence Secretary John Healey.
Reflecting on his return to government, Ed Miliband, who retained his role as Energy Secretary, said, “It’s good to be back.”
The meeting’s agenda focused on Labour’s six immediate priorities outlined in their manifesto: delivering economic stability, cutting NHS waiting times, launching a new border security command, creating Great British Energy, cracking down on anti-social behavior, and recruiting 6,500 new teachers.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed highlighted the urgent environmental challenges, stating, “We face a crisis point. Record levels of sewage in our rivers, lakes, and seas. Nature is dying. Confidence among farmers is at its lowest on record. It will take years to reverse this damage, but the work of change begins now.”
The cabinet’s initial discussions also touched on major issues such as the NHS waiting list, the small boats crisis in the Channel, and economic growth. Health Secretary Wes Streeting, upon leaving the meeting, described it as “very good” and affirmed, “We’re getting to work straight away.”
In a noteworthy move, Sir Keir appointed Richard Hermer KC, a seasoned human rights lawyer, as Attorney General, replacing Emily Thornberry. Hermer will be made a peer to assume the role of the government’s chief legal advisor.
Sir Keir is set to face questions at his first news conference as Prime Minister later today. He will also represent the UK on the international stage shortly, with plans to attend the NATO leaders’ summit in Washington, DC next week and host the European Political Community summit on July 18.
In his initial address as Prime Minister, Sir Keir pledged that his government would “serve you” and affirmed his commitment to balancing his public duties with family time, stating he will not work past 6 pm on Fridays. “Our country has voted decisively for change, for national renewal and a return of politics to public service,” he declared.
