King approves Cabinet appointments as new ministers take office across government
The UK Government has confirmed a series of ministerial appointments following approval by the King, with Rt Hon John Healey MP appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer as part of a wider Cabinet reshuffle announced on 20 July.
The appointments, published by the Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street, include a number of changes across major government departments, while several ministers remain in their existing roles.
John Healey succeeds to the role of Chancellor of the Exchequer. The announcement also confirms that Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP has left the Government.
Among the appointments relevant to the legal sector, Alex Norris MP has been appointed Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, while Rt Hon Ellie Reeves KC MP becomes Attorney General and will attend Cabinet. Shabana Mahmood MP remains Secretary of State for the Home Department.
Elsewhere, Ed Miliband MP has been appointed Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Louise Haigh MP becomes First Secretary of State, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, and Yvette Cooper MP has been appointed Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
Additional Cabinet appointments include Angela Rayner MP as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Jonathan Reynolds MP as Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, Lucy Powell MP as Secretary of State for Education, Lisa Nandy MP as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Wes Streeting MP as Secretary of State for Defence, Dame Angela Eagle DBE MP as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Miatta Fahnbulleh MP as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Stephen Kinnock MP as Secretary of State for Wales, and Sir Chris Bryant MP as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
For solicitors, the appointment of a new Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice is the most significant development. The Lord Chancellor holds ministerial responsibility for the justice system, courts, legal aid, prisons and wider Ministry of Justice policy. Practitioners should monitor future policy announcements and legislative proposals issued by the Ministry of Justice under Alex Norris’s leadership, as these may affect court administration, legal services and the operation of the justice system.
The announcement also confirms that Anneliese Midgley MP has been appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip) and will sit in Cabinet. Kanishka Narayan MP and Hamish Falconer MP have also been appointed to ministerial roles that will attend Cabinet.
The Government further confirmed that Darren Jones MP, Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Peter Kyle MP, Steve Reed OBE MP, Liz Kendall MP, David Lammy MP, Hilary Benn MP, Lord Hermer KC and Jo Stevens MP have left the Government.