The Keir Starmer era is kicking off today as the new PM meets his Cabinet after the dramatic election triumph
Sir Keir will gather his senior ministers in Downing Street on his first full day, as well as holding a press conference around lunchtime.
The premier appointed Cabinet last night after the extraordinary scale of his victory – achieved despite Labour receiving fewer votes than Jeremy Corbyn – became clear.
Both the new Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Angela Rayner were in Downing Street early this morning as they try to get a running start to the first Labour government in 14 years.
Sir Keir spoke to a host of foreign leaders last night, including reaffirming the ‘Special Relationship’ with Joe Biden and telling EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen he wanted ‘close cooperation’.
He has made clear the government will make good on its promise to ditch the Rwanda deportation plan, despite claims it was having an effect on Channel boats.
Meanwhile, incoming Health Secretary Wes Streeting has already opened talks with the BMA over the junior doctors’ strikes, sparking fears he could offer big concessions to their demands for 35 per cent pay hikes.
As Britain wakes up to a dramatically changed political map:
Furious Tory manoeuvring is under way as a leadership contest looms, with
Keir Starmer will gather his senior ministers in Downing Street this morning on his first full day, as well as holding a press conference around lunchtime
DPM Angela Rayner was in Downing Street early this morning (pictured) as the new Labour government tries to get a running start
New Chancellor Rachel Reeves was also up early, after becoming the first women ever to hold the post
Packing cases have been seen being moved around Downing Street today
Incoming Health Secretary Wes Streeting has already opened talks with the BMA over the junior doctors’ strikes, sparking fears he could offer big concessions to their demands for 35 per cent pay hikes
Sir Keir made a raft of appointments last night as he swapped places with defeated Rishi Sunak and basked in the blow of Labour’s historic landslide.
He stayed at his London home with wife Victoria last night, but is expected to move into Downing Street soon.
The PM confirmed Ms Reeves as Britain’s first woman chancellor, Yvette Cooper as Home Secretary and David Lammy as Foreign Secretary.
Ms Rayner has officially become his Deputy Prime Minister and retained the levelling up, housing and communities brief.
John Healey was named Defence Secretary; Shabana Mahmood Justice Secretary; Wes Streeting Health Secretary; Bridget Phillipson Education Secretary; and Ed Miliband Energy Secretary.
In surprise moves, former government science chief Patrick Vallance – a familiar face from Covid press conferences – has been given a peerage and made science minister.
James Timpson, a campaigner on prisons reform and also head of the key-cutting and shoe repairs firm, has also been elevated and made prisons minister.
But Emily Thornberry has been snubbed for the job of Attorney General, which she shadowed in Opposition. Instead a close ally of Sir Keir, Richard Hermer KC, has been handed the role.
After 649 of the 650 Commons seats declared Labour has a majority of 176.
Labour had 412 seats and the Tories 121, the worst result in the Conservative Party’s history.
The Liberal Democrats won 71 seats, while Reform netted five.
A recount in the last seat left to declare: Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire; will not start until 10.30am on Saturday, delaying the final result of the General Election.
In his first speech on Downing Street, Sir Keir said the British people had voted ‘decisively for change’.
He said the country could ‘move forward together’ as Labour took office following 14 years of Conservative rule.
Mr Streeting posted on social media last night: ‘I have just spoken over the phone with the BMA junior doctors committee, and I can announce that talks to end their industrial action will begin next week.
‘We promised during the campaign that we would begin negotiations as a matter of urgency, and that is what we are doing.’
Pat McFadden, who played a central role in shaping Labour’s election campaign and was named Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said the new Cabinet would meet on Saturday.
He told BBC Radio 4 that Sir Keir would have to quickly allocate responsibilities and ‘give his new Cabinet their marching orders and then there’s big international events coming.
‘We have a Nato summit next week. That will be his first moment on the international stage. And while he’s doing that, he will want his new Cabinet to get on with it pretty quickly.’
He said high on Sir Keir’s agenda will be the six first steps Labour has set out: delivering economic stability, cutting NHS waiting times, launching a new border security command, setting up Great British Energy, cracking down on anti-social behaviour, and recruiting 6,500 new teachers.
Staff were polishing up the famous Downing Street door today as the new government settles in
Just days after his appointment, Sir Keir will be propelled onto the international stage, jetting to Washington DC for the Nato leaders’ summit, where discussions will include support for Ukraine.
He is also due to host the European Political Community summit in the UK on July 18.
The PM and Mr Biden and discussed their commitment to the special relationship between the UK and US, protecting the gains of the Good Friday Agreement and support for Ukraine.
Sir Keir also spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and reassured him of the ‘unwavering commitment’ and said the UK would continue supplying defensive support.
He had calls Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
He also talked to Irish premier Simon Harris, who accepted an invitation to visit Downing Street on July 17 and Scottish First Minister John Swinney.