The Starmer ministry began on 5 July 2024 when Keir Starmer was invited by King Charles III to form a government, following the resignation of Rishi Sunak after the 2024 general election. The Starmer ministry concluded on 20 July 2026 when Andy Burnham became Prime Minister.
Background Starmer formed his government throughout 5–7 July, after his party won 411 seats in the 2024 general election, with the new Cabinet meeting for the first time on 6 July, and the new Parliament being called to meet on 9 July. It has been noted for its female political representation, appointing women to a record half of the Cabinet (including Rachel Reeves as the first female Chancellor of the Exchequer in British history) and three of the five top positions in the British government, including Angela Rayner as Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Starmer also appointed experts: scientist Patrick Vallance as Minister of State for Science, rehabilitation campaigner James Timpson as Minister of State for Prisons, Parole and Probation, and international law expert Richard Hermer as Attorney General for England and Wales. The government included a few ministers from the New Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, including Hilary Benn, Yvette Cooper, David Lammy, Ed Miliband and Douglas Alexander in the Cabinet, and Jacqui Smith, David Hanson and Stephen Timms as junior ministers.
Cabinet July 2024 – September 2025 + First Starmer CabinetPostPortraitIncumbentSeatTermCabinet ministersPrime Minister,First Lord of the Treasury,Minister for the Civil Service,Minister for the UnionSir Keir StarmerHolborn and St Pancras 5 July 202420 July 2026Deputy Prime Minister,Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentAngela RaynerAshton-under-Lyne5 July 20245 September 2025Chancellor of the Exchequer,Second Lord of the TreasuryRachel ReevesLeeds West and Pudsey 5 July 202420 July 2026Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterPat McFaddenWolverhampton South East5 July 20245 September 2025Minister for Intergovernmental Relations5 September 20246 September 2025Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development AffairsDavid LammyTottenham5 July 20245 September 2025Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentYvette CooperPontefract, Castleford and Knottingley5 July 20245 September 2025Secretary of State for DefenceJohn HealeyRawmarsh and Conisbrough5 July 202411 June 2026Lord Chancellor,Secretary of State for JusticeShabana MahmoodBirmingham Ladywood5 July 20245 September 2025Secretary of State for Health and Social CareWes StreetingIlford North5 July 202414 May 2026Secretary of State for EducationBridget PhillipsonHoughton and Sunderland South5 July 202420 July 2026Minister for Women and Equalities8 July 2024presentSecretary of State for Energy Security and Net ZeroEd MilibandDoncaster North5 July 202420 July 2026Secretary of State for Work and PensionsLiz KendallLeicester West5 July 20245 September 2025Secretary of State for Business and Trade,President of the Board of TradeJonathan ReynoldsStalybridge and Hyde5 July 20245 September 2025Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and TechnologyPeter KyleHove and Portslade5 July 20245 September 2025Secretary of State for TransportLouise HaighSheffield Heeley5 July 202428 November 2024Heidi AlexanderSwindon South29 November 2024presentSecretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsSteve ReedStreatham and Croydon North5 July 20245 September 2025Secretary of State for Culture, Media and SportLisa NandyWigan5 July 2024presentSecretary of State for Northern IrelandHilary BennLeeds South5 July 202420 July 2026Secretary of State for ScotlandIan MurrayEdinburgh South5 July 20245 September 2025Secretary of State for WalesJo StevensCardiff East5 July 202420 July 2026Lord President of the Council,Leader of the House of CommonsLucy PowellManchester Central5 July 20245 September 2025Lord Privy Seal,Leader of the House of LordsAngela Smith, Baroness Smith of BasildonLife peer5 July 2024presentAlso attending CabinetParliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)Sir Alan CampbellTynemouth5 July 20245 September 2025Chief Secretary to the TreasuryDarren JonesBristol North West5 July 20241 September 2025Attorney General,Advocate General for Northern IrelandRichard Hermer, Baron HermerLife peer5 July 202420 July 2026Minister of State (Development),Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)Anneliese DoddsOxford East8 July 202428 February 2025Minister of State (International Development, Latin America and Caribbean)Jenny Chapman, Baroness Chapman of DarlingtonLife peer28 February 20257 September 2025Minister of State (Minister without Portfolio) *Ellie ReevesLewisham West and East Dulwich2 December 20246 September 2025 NB * Also appointed to the non-government role of Chair of the Labour Party.
Changes Changes from Starmer's final Shadow Cabinet to Cabinet. Thangam Debbonaire (Shadow Culture Secretary) lost her seat and Lisa Nandy was appointed to Cabinet in her place. Nandy's previous role (Shadow International Development Cabinet Minister) was a full member of Shadow Cabinet despite the department having merged into the Foreign Office under the previous government (not reformed by Starmer). Anneliese Dodds was appointed to attend Cabinet as Minister of State (Development). Dodds was also appointed Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities), while Bridget Phillipson was appointed to the more senior role of Minister for Women and Equalities. Dodds had served in Shadow Cabinet as Chair of the Labour Party and Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary. Ellie Reeves' previous role (Deputy National Campaign Coordinator) has no government equivalent. She was appointed to succeed Dodds as Chair of the Labour Party (a non-ministerial role). She was also appointed Minister of State in the Cabinet Office (Minister without Portfolio), but did not initially attend Cabinet. Jonathan Ashworth (Shadow Paymaster General) lost his seat. Nick Thomas-Symonds (Shadow Minister without Portfolio) was appointed Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office (Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations), but did not attend Cabinet. Emily Thornberry (Shadow Attorney General) was not appointed to Cabinet nor any junior ministerial role and returned to the backbenches. Richard Hermer was appointed Attorney General from outside parliament and was given a life peerage to serve. Hermer, Sir Alan Campbell (Government Chief Whip in the House of Commons) and Darren Jones (Chief Secretary to the Treasury) were appointed to attend Cabinet. These portfolios had been full members of the Shadow Cabinet. Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords) had been a member of the Shadow Cabinet as Chief Whip of the Labour Party in the House of Lords, but he was not appointed to Cabinet while remaining in the same role. Subsequent changes. Pat McFadden was appointed to the additional role of Minister for Intergovernmental Relations on 5 September 2024. Louise Haigh resigned as Transport Secretary on 28 November 2024, and was replaced by Heidi Alexander the following day. Ellie Reeves was promoted to attend Cabinet in her existing role as Minister of State in the Cabinet Office (Minister without Portfolio) on 2 December 2024. Anneliese Dodds resigned as Minister of State (Development) and Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities) on 28 February 2025. Dodds was replaced in her Cabinet-attending Development role by Jenny Chapman, Baroness Chapman of Darlington, and in her Women and Equalities role by Jacqui Smith, Baroness Smith of Malvern.
September 2025 – July 2026 + Second Starmer CabinetPostPortraitIncumbentSeatTermCabinet ministersPrime Minister,First Lord of the Treasury,Minister for the Civil Service,Minister for the UnionSir Keir StarmerHolborn and St Pancras 5 July 202420 July 2026Deputy Prime Minister,Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for JusticeDavid LammyTottenham5 September 202520 July 2026Chancellor of the ExchequerRachel ReevesLeeds West and Pudsey 5 July 202420 July 2026Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development AffairsYvette CooperPontefract, Castleford and Knottingley5 September 202520 July 2026Secretary of State for the Home Department Shabana MahmoodBirmingham Ladywood5 September 2025presentSecretary of State for Work and PensionsPat McFaddenWolverhampton South East5 September 2025presentChief Secretary to the Prime MinisterDarren JonesBristol North West1 September 202520 July 2026Minister for Intergovernmental Relations6 September 202520 July 2026Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster5 September 202520 July 2026Secretary of State for DefenceJohn HealeyRawmarsh and Conisbrough5 July 202411 June 2026Dan JarvisBarnsley North11 June 202620 July 2026Secretary of State for Health and Social CareWes StreetingIlford North5 July 202414 May 2026James MurrayEaling North14 May 202620 July 2026Secretary of State for EducationBridget PhillipsonHoughton and Sunderland South5 July 202420 July 2026Minister for Women and Equalities8 July 2024presentSecretary of State for Energy Security and Net ZeroEd MilibandDoncaster North5 July 202420 July 2026Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentSteve ReedStreatham and Croydon North5 September 202520 July 2026Secretary of State for Business and Trade,President of the Board of TradePeter KyleHove and Portslade5 September 202520 July 2026Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and TechnologyLiz KendallLeicester West5 September 202520 July 2026Secretary of State for TransportHeidi AlexanderSwindon South29 November 2024presentSecretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsEmma ReynoldsWycombe5 September 202520 July 2026Secretary of State for Culture, Media and SportLisa NandyWigan5 July 2024presentSecretary of State for Northern IrelandHilary BennLeeds South5 July 202420 July 2026Secretary of State for ScotlandDouglas AlexanderLothian East5 September 2025presentSecretary of State for WalesJo StevensCardiff East5 July 202420 July 2026Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)Jonathan ReynoldsStalybridge and Hyde5 September 202520 July 2026Lord Privy Seal,Leader of the House of LordsAngela Smith, Baroness Smith of BasildonLife peer5 July 2024presentLord President of the Council,Leader of the House of CommonsSir Alan CampbellTynemouth12 June 2026presentAlso attending CabinetLord President of the Council,Leader of the House of CommonsSir Alan CampbellTynemouth5 September 202512 June 2026Chief Secretary to the TreasuryJames MurrayEaling North1 September 202514 May 2026Lucy RigbyNorthampton North14 May 202620 July 2026Attorney GeneralRichard Hermer, Baron HermerLife peer5 July 202420 July 2026Minister of State (International Development and Africa)Jenny Chapman, Baroness Chapman of DarlingtonLife peer7 September 202521 July 2026 Paymaster General,Minister for the Cabinet Office (Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations)Nick Thomas-Symonds Torfaen2 December 202520 July 2026Minister of State (Minister without Portfolio) *Anna TurleyRedcar6 September 202521 July 2026 NB * Also appointed to the non-government role of Chair of the Labour Party.
Changes
Darren Jones was appointed to the new role of Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister on 1 September 2025 and subsequently took over two roles from Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 5 September 2025 and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations on 6 September 2025. James Murray replaced Darren Jones as Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Angela Rayner resigned. David Lammy moved to be Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, replacing Shabana Mahmood. He was also appointed Deputy Prime Minister, replacing Angela Rayner. Yvette Cooper moved to be Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, replacing David Lammy.