2025 British cabinet reshuffle
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer carried out the first cabinet reshuffle of his premiership in 2025. A minor reshuffle of posts in 10 Downing Street began on 1 September 2025. On 5 September, following the resignation of the deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, after she was found to have broken the ministerial code, a full reshuffle of the cabinet was launched.
Media speculation
The reshuffle was speculated to take place in the late spring or early summer of 2025. Ministers such as Lisa Nandy and Bridget Phillipson were discussed as possible changes. Number 10 denied that Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves would be removed. Louise Haigh told the media that northern female MPs were likely to be demoted. Speculation increased following the 2025 United Kingdom local elections.Background
A minor reshuffle of posts in 10 Downing Street began on 1 September 2025.Following the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, after she was found to have breached the ministerial code, one of the biggest cabinet reshuffles in years started on 5 September. Starmer planned to enact the full reshuffle later in the parliamentary term, but brought this forward in light of Rayner's resignation.
Changes
Below are the changes made in the reshuffle.Cabinet ministers
NB * Also appointed to the non-government role of Chair of the Labour Party.PPSs
The following newly appointed Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPSs) were announced on 11 September 2025:Analysis
The initial "mini-reshuffle" on 1 September was described as a "reset", with Keir Starmer referring to it as the "second phase" of his government and not a reshuffle.Resignation of Angela Rayner
The resignation of Angela Rayner was the catalyst for the reshuffle. She resigned over a tax scandal involving the purchase of a property. HuffPost wrote that Starmer sought to reassert his authority following the loss of Rayner. She had been expected to be a major candidate for Labour leader. Her concurrent resignation as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party also triggered a deputy leadership election. The last time a deputy leadership election was held alone was 2007.The New Statesman noted the right-wing shift of the announced changes. One factor criticised was the treatment of female ministers.
Other changes
The reshuffle installed two new holders of Great Offices of State: a new home secretary and a new foreign secretary. This resulted in the three Great Offices below the Prime Minister being simultaneously occupied by women for the first time. Ministers who stayed in office included Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Ed Miliband.Shabana Mahmood moved from Secretary of State for Justice to Home Secretary. She was noted for being the first female Muslim Home Secretary. Lucy Powell was dismissed as Leader of the House of Commons. This was significant as she was responsible for delivering the legislative programme through parliament. The Home Office saw major changes with Yvette Cooper, Angela Eagle and Diana Johnson leaving the department.
The removal of Ian Murray as Secretary of State for Scotland was a surprise. He spoke publicly of his huge disappointment. Lord George Foulkes called it a “disgraceful decision”. Murray was replaced by Douglas Alexander who previously served in the same job from 2006 to 2007 in the Blair government. The following day Murray returned to government but as a junior minister at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
A few senior female MPs left the government including Nia Griffith, Catherine McKinnell and Maria Eagle. A number of MPs first elected in the 2024 general election were appointed to the frontbench for the first time.
Reactions
The reshuffle was controversial within Labour ranks. Chi Onwurah said: "It is clear that there are higher standards and expectations and more attention on working class Labour ministers, especially women.. but we have set ourselves high standards and we do need to keep to them”. Louise Haigh previously said northern female MPs were targeted for scrutiny. Internal civil war has been reported inside the Labour Party. As Rayner came from the soft left, the ideological split has been important.The Daily Telegraph said that the government hoped the reshuffle would help counter Reform UK. Nigel Farage was the focus of media attention as the reshuffle happened on the same day as the Reform UK conference in Birmingham. Richard Tice said the government was "playing games". Many journalists who planned to travel for the weekend ended up staying in London after Angela Rayner's unexpected resignation. The reshuffle greatly overshadowed the Reform UK conference. Labour had been trailing in the polls and so this was given significance. Another reported issue for the government is on the left wing of politics with the new leader of the Green Party of England and Wales Zack Polanski, who was elected on 2 September, as well as the new Your Party of Jeremy Corbyn.
Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party Kemi Badenoch said: "Angela Rayner is finally gone.. but it's only because of Keir Starmer's weakness that she wasn't sacked three days ago". Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: "If Labour believes that having a reshuffle will solve the deep-rooted problems of this government, they are learning the wrong lessons from the calamity Conservatives before them".