Sir Keir Starmer and his newly formed cabinet held their first meeting on Saturday morning, marking the beginning of the new Labour government's tenure.
Here's an introduction to the key Londoners in the cabinet:
Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer Sir Keir Starmer, the MP for Holborn and St Pancras, hails from Southwark, south London. He is the first Labour leader to unseat a sitting Conservative government since Tony Blair's landslide victory in 1997. Starmer often speaks about his working-class background, growing up in Oxted, Surrey, with a father who was a toolmaker and a mother who worked as a nurse. A trained barrister specializing in human rights, he served as the director of public prosecutions from 2008 to 2013 before entering Parliament in 2015.
Chancellor, Rachel Reeves Rachel Reeves, from south London, has made history as the first female Chancellor of the Exchequer. Before her political career, she worked as an economist. She became the MP for Leeds West in 2010 and took on the role of shadow chancellor after Labour's defeat in the 2021 Hartlepool by-election. Reeves has pledged to maintain strict spending plans and has garnered support from business leaders for Labour’s economic policies. Her sister, Ellie Reeves, is also a Labour MP.
Health Secretary, Wes Streeting Wes Streeting, the MP for Ilford North, has been shadowing the health secretary role since November 2021. Known for his candid criticism of the NHS, Streeting has called for significant reforms. His personal battle with kidney cancer in 2021 has informed his perspective on healthcare. Growing up in a council flat in London’s East End, Streeting has a diverse background that includes serving as president of the National Union of Students and as a London councillor.
Foreign Secretary, David Lammy David Lammy, born to Guyanese parents in north London, was raised by his mother after his father left when he was 12. He made history as the first black Briton to study law at Harvard. Elected as the MP for Tottenham in 2000 at age 27, Lammy has held junior ministerial positions under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband Ed Miliband, the former Labour leader, is now the Energy Secretary. A long-time advocate for tackling climate change, he has supported Labour's Green Prosperity Plan. Miliband has represented Doncaster North since 2005 and has been involved in Labour politics since before the 1997 election win. His family background includes a Polish Jewish mother who survived the Holocaust and a Marxist academic father. He also co-hosts the "Reasons to be Cheerful" podcast.
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn Hilary Benn, from Hammersmith in west London, is a seasoned parliamentarian. He has represented Leeds Central since 1999 and is now the MP for Leeds South. Benn has extensive cabinet experience, having served under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. In opposition, he has been a prominent figure, notably as shadow foreign secretary and chairman of the Brexit select committee. He is the son of veteran left-wing campaigner Tony Benn. Photo by RachelH_, Wikimedia commons.