With Labour expected to become the largest party in the British Parliament, here are the candidates for the key ministerial posts.
Deputy Prime Minister: Angela Rayner
Rayner, 44, is an outlier in a country long dominated by a ruling class disproportionately educated at private schools and the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
She grew up in social housing in northern England, left school without any qualifications and became a single mother at the age of 16.
Before being elected to parliament in 2015, she was a trade unionist. In 2020, she was elected Labour’s number two.
Her left-wing background and straight-talking style, complete with a strong northern accent, contrast with Starmer’s more reserved public image.
“He smooths out my rough edges. I bring him out of his shell,” she once said of their partnership.
In addition to his role as deputy prime minister (he deputises for Starmer at the weekly parliamentary questions when he is unable to attend), Rayner would be responsible for housing policy and tackling regional inequalities.
Finance: Rachel Reeves
The former Bank of England economist is in the running to become the first female Chancellor of the Exchequer. She lives next door to Starmer at 11 Downing Street.
Reeves, 45, calls that prospect breaking “the last glass ceiling in politics.”
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She has been a central figure in Labour’s efforts to regain voter confidence on economic issues over the past four years, insisting that the party is now “the natural party of British business”.
London-based Reeves, whose younger sister is also an MP, has pledged “iron discipline” over public finances, citing her reputation for economics expertise.
The former child chess champion, who has been an MP since 2010, has pledged to be both “pro-worker” and “pro-business” in her role as overseer of the government’s finances.
Foreign Affairs: David Lammy
Lammy, 51, a black lawmaker descended from slaves, has honed his views on British diplomacy through dozens of foreign trips over the past two years.
He argues that in the post-Brexit era the Foreign Office must rediscover “the art of grand strategy”.
Lammy, an MP since he was 27 in 2000, is likely to steer Britain toward closer ties with the EU. That is no easy task, given that both Brussels and the Eurosceptic British are wary.
He is also likely to face pressure from Labour’s left wing, including over policy towards Israel and the war against Hamas in Gaza.
Lammy, a friend of former US President Barack Obama, may also have to deal with the possible return of Donald Trump to the White House.
He once described Trump as a “neo-Nazi sympathizing sociopath” and “a major threat to the international order.”
Home Affairs: Yvette Cooper
Cooper’s decades of political experience will undoubtedly be put to the test as head of Britain’s Home Office, a government department notoriously difficult to succeed in.
Cooper, 55, has been an MP since the late 1990s and a minister in the 2000s. He was Labour’s home affairs spokesman during two 14-year stints in opposition.
She ran for party leadership in 2015 and received much praise for her insight into policy and detail, and for her excellent communication skills.
Immigration, a key campaign issue and a potential weak point for Labour, is likely to dominate much of the public discussion about its position.
Health: Wes Streeting
Streeting is a fresh Labour centrist and has been one of the most visible Labour figures during the election campaign.
The 41-year-old comes from a working-class background in East London and is seen as one of the party’s best communicators and a potential future leader.
But first he will have to prove himself in one of the toughest jobs in British government: reversing the decline of the country’s beloved but ailing National Health Service (NHS).
Streeting, a cancer survivor who is still struggling to recover from the pandemic, has been battered by years of Tory austerity and will rely in part on his own experience of the system.
Defense: John Healey
Party veteran Healey becomes Minister of Defence, as this policy area becomes increasingly important due to the war in Ukraine and increasing global insecurity.
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The 64-year-old, who first became an MP in 1997 when Tony Blair came to power for Labour, held a number of government positions during the party’s 13 years in power.
Labour has pledged to increase military spending to 2.5 percent of GDP (from 2.3 percent this year) “as soon as” economic conditions allow.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published via a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)
Shankhyaneel Sarkar
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior sub-editor at News18. He covers international affairs.
Location: London, United Kingdom (UK)
first print: Jul 5, 2024, 03:57 AM IST
