Sir Keir Starmer hands top Cabinet roles to North East MPs
Bridget Phillipson and Sir Alan Campbell been handed key positions in Sir Keir Starmer's top team
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer got straight to work assembling his Cabinet after promising to rebuild trust in politics and restore hope to the nation after a landslide Labour victory in the General Election.
Rachel Reeves was confirmed as Britain's first woman chancellor, Angela Rayner is Sir Keir's Deputy Prime Minister and retained the levelling up, housing and communities brief, and Yvette Cooper is Home Secretary.
Among the recipients of top roles is Bridget Phillipson - Labour MP for Houghton and Sunderland South - who was made Education Secretary, a role she held in the shadow cabinet.
Writing on X - formerly Twitter - Ms Phillipson said:
"I am honoured to have been asked to serve as Secretary of State for Education.
"We pledged change and we will deliver the most crucial changes of all:
- High and rising standards
- More opportunity
- The best life chances for all children
"That work starts now."
Among the appointments in the top team, the Prime Minister also made Sir Alan Campbell - Tynemouth MP - as chief whip.
Elsewhere, David Lammy was appointed Foreign Secretary, putting to bed some speculation over whether he would get the post he shadowed in opposition.
The first surprise in the assembly of the Labour leader's top team was the promotion of Lisa Nandy to Culture Secretary, after the holder of the brief in his shadow cabinet, Thangam Debbonaire, lost her seat to the Green Party.
Otherwise, the Cabinet mirrors Sir Keir's shadow team, including Pat McFadden, who played a central role in shaping Labour's election campaign, being named Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, John Healey Defence Secretary, Shabana Mahmood Justice Secretary, Wes Streeting Health Secretary and Ed Miliband Energy Secretary.
Shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry will not take on the post in Government, with Sir Keir instead choosing barrister Richard Hermer KC. It is not a Cabinet position but Mr Hermer will attend Cabinet meetings.
Sir Keir also appointed Darren Jones as Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Lucy Powell will be Leader of the House of Commons, while Baroness Smith of Basildon will be Leader of the House of Lords.
He also named two familiar faces as junior ministers: Sir Patrick Vallance, who was chief scientific adviser to the government during the Covid-19 pandemic, will be a Minister of State for science; while James Timpson of Timpson shoe repairs will be Minister of State for prisons, parole and probation. Both will be made peers.
In his first speech on Downing Street, Sir Keir said the British people had voted "decisively for change".
Sir Keir said the country could "move forward together" as Labour took office following 14 years of Conservative rule.
He said: "Now our country has voted decisively for change, for national renewal and a return of politics to public service.
"When the gap between the sacrifices made by people and the service they receive from politicians grows this big, it leads to a weariness in the heart of a nation, a draining away of the hope, the spirit, the belief in a better future.
"But we need to move forward together. Now this wound, this lack of trust can only be healed by actions not words, I know that.
"But we can make a start today with the simple acknowledgement that public service is a privilege and that your government should treat every single person in this country with respect."
He said "my Government will serve you, politics can be a force for good", adding: "The work of change begins immediately, but have no doubt, we will rebuild Britain."