The Burnham ministry began on 20 July 2026 when Andy Burnham was invited by King Charles III to form a government, following the resignation of Keir Starmer after the 2026 Labour Party leadership election.
Background Following Burnham's appointment as Prime Minister on 20 July 2026, he began to form his cabinet, which first met on 21 July. He completed his ministerial appointments on 23 July. The initial appointments resulted in major cabinet changes, featuring a significant removal of close Starmer allies, while returning and rewarding those contributing to his downfall. Key departures from the previous ministry included Rachel Reeves, who was removed as Chancellor of the Exchequer after reportedly turning down an alternative role, David Lammy, who was dismissed as Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, Business Secretary Peter Kyle, Housing Secretary Steve Reed, Attorney General Lord Hermer, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs Darren Jones, and Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall, whose department was dissolved. 15 were dismissed from the cabinet, the most in a transition within the same party since Boris Johnson's first cabinet.
Following the major dismissals, Burnham began selecting the senior members of his government, making many high-profile appointments and retentions. John Healey made a surprise return to government as Chancellor of the Exchequer, while Ed Miliband was elevated to Foreign Secretary, a major step up from his former Energy and Net Zero brief. Close ally Louise Haigh was appointed First Secretary of State, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Minister for the Cabinet Office (his de facto Deputy Prime Minister). Angela Rayner returned to government in her previous post of Housing Secretary, Yvette Cooper was reshuffled to become Health Secretary and Wes Streeting re-joined the cabinet with his appointment as Defence Secretary. Rounding out the senior team, Jonathan Reynolds was promoted to the newly expanded brief of Business, Science, Innovation and Trade Secretary, while Labour Deputy Leader Lucy Powell became Education Secretary, Emma Reynolds returned to the Treasury, being appointed as Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Some notable retentions from Starmer's cabinet included Shabana Mahmood as Home Secretary, Pat McFadden as Work and Pensions Secretary, Alan Campbell as Leader of the Commons, Lisa Nandy as Culture Secretary and Heidi Alexander as Transport Secretary.
Burnham's cabinet is the first in history with a majority of female members: 12 of the 23 members of the cabinet are women and 11 (including the prime minister) are men. There are also two female ministers and three male ministers attending cabinet, making a total of 14 male and 14 female ministers at cabinet meetings.
Cabinet July 2026 – present + Burnham CabinetPostPortraitNameSeatTermCabinet membersPrime Minister,First Lord of the Treasury,Minister for the Civil Service,Minister for the UnionMakerfieldpresentFirst Secretary of State,Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster,Minister for the Cabinet OfficeSheffield HeeleypresentChancellor of the ExchequerRawmarsh and ConisbroughpresentSecretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development AffairsDoncaster NorthpresentSecretary of State for the Home DepartmentBirmingham LadywoodpresentSecretary of State for Defence Ilford NorthpresentSecretary of State for Health and Social CarePontefract, Castleford and KnottingleypresentLord Chancellor and Secretary of State for JusticeNottingham North and KimberleypresentSecretary of State for EducationManchester CentralpresentSecretary of State for Work and PensionsWolverhampton South EastpresentSecretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade;President of the Board of TradeStalybridge and HydepresentSecretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentAshton-under-LynepresentSecretary of State for TransportSwindon SouthpresentSecretary of State for Energy Security and Net ZeroPeckhampresentSecretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and SportWiganpresentSecretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsDame WallaseypresentSecretary of State for Northern IrelandSir Rhondda and OgmorepresentSecretary of State for ScotlandLothian EastpresentSecretary of State for WalesAberafan MaestegpresentParliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)KnowsleypresentLord Privy Seal,Leader of the House of LordsLife peerpresentLord President of the Council,Leader of the House of CommonsSir Alan CampbellTynemouthpresentMinister for Women and EqualitiesHoughton and Sunderland SouthpresentAlso attending CabinetChief Secretary to the TreasuryWycombepresentAttorney GeneralLewisham West and East DulwichpresentMinister of State (Minister for Intergovernmental Relations and European Relations)LincolnpresentMinister of State (Minister for Artificial Intelligence)Vale of GlamorganpresentMinister of State (Minister for Housing and Planning)Greenwich and Woolwichpresent(attending Cabinet since )
LL Also elected to the non-ministerial role of Leader of the Labour Party. DLL Also elected to the non-ministerial role of Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. CL Also appointed to the non-ministerial role of Chair of the Labour Party .
Changes Changes from Keir Starmer's final cabinet. David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Darren Jones, Steve Reed, Peter Kyle, Liz Kendall, Hilary Benn, Jo Stevens, Lord Hermer, Nick Thomas-Symonds and Baroness Chapman were replaced in their cabinet or attending cabinet roles and left government Dan Jarvis, James Murray, Emma Reynolds, Lucy Rigby and Anna Turley left the cabinet but were retained in government as junior ministers. Louise Haigh, John Healey, Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner and Lucy Powell returned to government from the backbenches. Alex Norris, Miatta Fahnbulleh, Angela Eagle, Chris Bryant, Stephen Kinnock and Anneliese Midgley joined cabinet for the first time. Matthew Pennycook (Minister for Housing and Planning) was invited to attend Cabinet, alongside two newly created and cabinet-attending posts: Kanishka Narayan (Minister for Artificial Intelligence) and Hamish Falconer (Minister for Intergovernmental Relations and European Relations)). Bridget Phillipson, who was replaced as Secretary of State for Education by Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Lucy Powell, remained as Minister for Women and Equalities, with the role being reconstituted as a full cabinet post and reporting directly to the Prime Minister. Phillipson also was appointed to Anna Turley's former role as Chair of the Labour Party. Jonathan Reynolds was promoted to Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, being replaced in his post as Chief Whip by Anneliese Midgley. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology was abolished, with its functions split between the Department for Business and Trade (renamed the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (reverting to its previous name of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport). An Office for the Prime Minister and Cabinet was established within the Cabinet Office to house Number 10 (Prime Minister's Office), Number 10 North, and core Cabinet Office functions. The Office for Equality and Opportunity was moved from the Cabinet Office to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, with all ministers holding equalities briefs moving from the Department for Education to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
List of ministers The current list of ministers in the cabinet is as follows:
Member of the House of CommonsMember of the House of LordsCabinet members are listed in boldMinisters that attend Cabinet are listed in bold italics
Prime Minister and Cabinet Office Cabinet OfficePostIncumbentTermPrime Minister,First Lord of the Treasury,Minister for the Civil Service,Minister for the UnionAndy Burnham20 July 2026presentFirst Secretary of State,Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster,Minister for the Cabinet OfficeLouise Haigh20 July 2026presentMinister of State (Minister for Artificial Intelligence)Kanishka Narayan20 July 2026presentMinister of State (Minister for Intergovernmental Relations and European Relations)Hamish Falconer20 July 2026presentMinister of State (Security Minister)Dan Jarvis21 July 2026presentParliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet OfficeSally Jameson22 July 2026presentDan Tomlinson22 July 2026presentMark Ferguson22 July 2026presentFiona Twycross, Baroness Twycross22 July 2026present
Departments of State Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Tradeand UK Export FinancePostIncumbentTermSecretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade;President of the Board of TradeJonathan Reynolds20 July 2026presentMinister of State (Minister for Artificial Intelligence)Kanishka Narayan20 July 2026presentMinister of State (Minister for Trade)Anas Sarwar, Baron Sarwar22 July 2026presentMinister of State (Minister for the Future of Work)Kate Dearden21 July 2026presentMinister of State (Minister for Science, Innovation and Investment)Chris McDonald21 July 2026presentParliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Space, Cyber and Regulatory Reform)Liz Lloyd, Baroness Lloyd of Effra22 July 2026presentParliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Reindustrialisation)Blair McDougall22 July 2026presentParliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Small Business and Enterprise)Sonny Leong, Baron Leong22 July 2026present Ministry of DefencePostIncumbentTermSecretary of State for DefenceWes Streeting20 July 2026presentMinister of State (Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry)Luke Pollard6 September 2025presentMinister of State (Minister for the House of Lords)Vernon Coaker, Baron Coaker8 July 2024presentParliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for the Armed Forces)Louise Sandher-Jones12 June 2026presentParliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Veterans and People)Calvin Bailey12 June 2026present Department for Digital, Culture, Media and SportPostIncumbentTermSecretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and SportLisa Nandy5 July 2024presentMinister of State (Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Online Safety)Ian Murray21 July 2026presentParliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Heritage)Fiona Twycross, Baroness Twycross22 July 2026presentParliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Sport, Tourism, Place and Digital Government)Stephanie Peacock22 July 2026presentParliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Youth, Gambling, Digital Inclusion, Civil Society & Loneliness)Vicky Foxcroft22 July 2026presentParliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Arts and Museums)Ruth Mackenzie, Baroness Mackenzie of Sherwood22 July 2026presentParliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Space, Cyber and Regulatory Reform)Liz Lloyd, Baroness Lloyd of Effra22 July 2026present Department for EducationPostIncumbentTermSecretary of State for EducationLucy Powell20 July 2026presentMinister of State (Minister for School Standards)Georgia Gould6 September 2025presentMinister of State (Minister for Skills)Jacqui Smith, Baroness Smith of Malvern6 July 2024presentParliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Early Education)Paul Waugh22 July 2026presentParliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Children and Families)Josh MacAlister7 September 2025present