UK PM Burnham sacks 12 cabinet members including Reeves, Lammy in immediate reshuffle

Published Jul 24, 02:40 PM UTC

New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, within hours of taking office, sacked a dozen cabinet members including Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Deputy PM David Lammy, replacing them with his allies. The reshuffle is seen as a purge of Keir Starmer loyalists. Key appointments include Louise Haigh as effective deputy, Ed Miliband as foreign secretary, John Healey as chancellor, and Wes Streeting as defence secretary. Critics within Labour describe the move as factional and risky, potentially fueling internal party conflict. Some Starmer-era figures like Pat McFadden and Yvette Cooper retained posts. The article highlights deep divisions and mixed reactions to Burnham's strategy.