Vanessa Clarke
Senior education reporter

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Before Lucy Powell was appointed education secretary, Burnham said he would "help more young people into work by changing the education system" in his first speech as PM.

Clearly he believes Powell is the right person to help him do that.

In previous speeches, Burnham has said that every young person should leave school with a clear pathway into university, training or work.

This reflects a growing concern over the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training, which now stands at more than one million.

But there are also other challenges ahead.

Among them are controversial changes to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system in England, and there is uncertainty over whether teachers will accept the latest pay offer, with a ballot planned for the autumn.

Both issues were mentioned by teaching unions today as they welcomed Burnham into office.

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Angela Rayner has said she is "delighted" to be returning to the role of housing secretary, which she previously held in Keir Starmer's government.

"Andy Burnham's vision of good growth in every postcode demands we build on the foundations we have already laid to bring the change we have promised," she writes on social media.

"I look forward to returning to government with renewed drive and determination to put power back in people’s hands - and hope back in our hearts."

• For context: Rayner resigned as both deputy prime minister and housing secretary in September 2025 after admitting she underpaid stamp duty on her £800,000 flat in Hove - with the matter settled with HMRC in May of this year

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Lisa Nandy has been reappointed culture secretary by Andy Burnham, No 10 has announced.

It's a role she had held since Labour's 2024 election win.

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New health and social care secretary Yvette Cooper says on social media she is looking forward to "working urgently to improve maternity services, to take forward plans for social care, and to once again play a part in supporting our National Health Service".

"Most of all I'm looking forward to working with the dedicated NHS staff, carers, healthcare professionals and volunteers on whom we all depend," she says.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump are among the world leaders Andy Burnham has spoken to on his first day as prime minister.

Burnham spoke to Zelensky earlier this afternoon, according to Downing Street, which says he reaffirmed his and "the UK's resolute commitment to the people of Ukraine".

A spokesperson adds that Burnham has invited Zelensky to the UK at "the earliest possible opportunity".

Burnham then spoke to Macron this evening, setting out how he'd continue "building on the strong UK-France relationship", according to Downing Street, which says the pair discussed support for Ukraine, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and co-operation on energy and defence.

Earlier, No 10 reported that Burnham had told Trump that he hopes to show him "what Manchester has to offer" in a future visit.

Andy Burnham has been unveiling his new cabinet - here's the latest:

Who's in:

• John Healey returns to the cabinet as chancellor
• Ed Miliband stays in cabinet as foreign secretary
• Shabana Mahmood remains home secretary
• Angela Rayner returns to her former role of housing secretary
• Louise Haigh becomes chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, first secretary of state and Cabinet Office minister

• Pat McFadden keeps his job as work and pensions secretary
• Yvette Cooper is appointed health secretary

• Jonathan Reynolds is named business secretary
• Lucy Powell returns to cabinet as education secretary
• Bridget Phillipson remains minister for women and equalities, but loses education brief
• Anneliese Midgley is appointed chief whip and will be a member of the cabinet

See the latest cabinet appointments here.

The following cabinet roles have just been announced by No 10:

• Jonathan Reynolds, former chief whip, is the new business secretary

• Bridget Phillipson remains a full member of cabinet as minister for women and equalities, but loses her role as education secretary
• Lucy Powell, deputy leader of the party, becomes education secretary
• Anneliese Midgley, who has not previously held a ministerial role, is appointed chief whip and will be a member of cabinet

Downing Street also says it has merged the Department of Science and Innovation with the Department of Business and Trade.

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Angela Rayner has been appointed housing secretary in Andy Burnham's cabinet, a role she previously held in Keir Starmer's government.

She resigned as deputy prime minister and housing secretary in September 2025.

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Wes Streeting, the former health secretary, has been spotted making his way into No 10.

Streeting resigned as health secretary on 14 May, stating that he had lost confidence in Starmer's leadership.

Faisal Islam
Economics editor

In his first comments as Chancellor, John Healey has told broadcasters that he will work "in lockstep" with the new PM “to meet the fiscal rules with a buffer against uncertainty”, and making life more affordable.

The chancellor, as defence secretary, was a month ago one of the acute spending pressures, demanding that 3% of UK GDP be spent on defence by 2030.

He is now in charge of the coffers. It is not just that now, but funding new policies on youth jobs, social care, infrastructure and regeneration.

He did not answer in detail about whether he is still pursuing that defence spending target, but said "fiscal control is the first duty of any chancellor" and "we will meet our commitments on defence to our international allies".

The chancellor also praised his predecessor Rachel Reeves, with whom he clashed just last month.

John Healey says it's an "honour" to be appointed chancellor, and that he and the prime minister are in "lockstep to meet the fiscal rules".

"The prime minister and I have talked about how we will work in lockstep to meet the fiscal rules with a buffer against uncertainty, and how we'll make life more affordable for working people right across the UK," he says.

Speaking to broadcasters, the newly appointed chancellor says: "Fiscal control is the first duty of any chancellor - it is mine - and fiscal credibility is the bedrock... for economic stability and for national security.

"You heard the prime minister this afternoon say, in this more dangerous world, we will meet our commitments on defence to our international allies."

Healey says he has known Burnham for a long time, and that "we share the values, we share the vision, and we will start together now - prime minister and chancellor - to build that new hope and to build that new economy and that will start tomorrow".

For context: The fiscal rules are commitments made by the government, the main ones limit how much the government can borrow to fund day-to-day public spending and compel the government to ensure that debt as a share of national income is falling by the end of the Parliament, expected in 2029.

Rob Watson
BBC political correspondent

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Andy Burnham's most striking decision is not to make Ed Miliband chancellor but instead to appoint him foreign secretary.

It suggests Burnham is keen to reassure the bond markets, which had been worried Miliband would have been keen to borrow and spend even more than is currently the case.

But Burnham clearly hopes the appointment of such a senior politician as foreign secretary will allow him to focus on domestic policy.

On that front he is suggesting nothing less than remaking British politics and economics over the next 10 years, a bold promise given the failure of his six most recent predecessors to deliver change and renewal.

It's been a day of big shake ups as Andy Burnham unveils his top team for government. Here's where things stand so far.

Who's in:

• John Healey returns to the cabinet as chancellor
• Ed Miliband stays in cabinet as foreign secretary
• Shabana Mahmood remains home secretary
• Louise Haigh becomes chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, first secretary of state and Cabinet Office minister

• Pat McFadden keeps his job as work and pensions secretary
• Yvette Cooper is appointed health secretary

Who's out:

• Rachel Reeves is out as chancellor
• Steve Reed lost his role as housing secretary
• Liz Kendall will no longer be science and technology secretary
• Peter Kyle was sacked as business secretary
• Jo Stevens stepped down as Welsh secretary
• Darren Jones was sacked as chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
• Hilary Benn is out as Northern Ireland secretary
• David Lammy leaves government as justice secretary
• James Murray lost his job as health secretary
• Lord Hermer will no longer be attorney general

You can follow the latest announcements in our news story.

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Pat McFadden, who has been confirmed as the work and pensions secretary, says he is honoured to stay in the role.

"As the Prime Minister said, our mission as a government must be to support people into work and spread opportunity," he says on social media. "That's how we'll reform the welfare system in a way that is fair & sustainable."

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Earlier, it was announced John Healey would return to Downing Street, this time as chancellor.

Across the political spectrum, MPs have been weighing in on the former defence secretary's new post.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch offers congratulations, adding: "He can now ensure the Defence Investment Plan is properly funded. Conservatives will work with him to cut benefits so we can fund defence.

"Because we can’t have higher taxes or even more borrowing."

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey says Healey has seen up close "the need to rebuild our Armed Forces after years of Conservative cuts and Starmer dithering".

In a post on X, he says that as chancellor, Healey should take up the Lib Dem's plans "for Defence Bonds to invest £20 billion in our sovereign capability".

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No 10 announces that Pat McFadden is keeping his job as secretary of state for work and pensions.

He took over the department months after the party was forced to U-turn on extensive changes designed to reduce the welfare bill.

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Former Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has been reappointed to cabinet as the new health and social care secretary.

Pat McFadden and Yvette Cooper have both left Downing Street together.

Cooper gave the assembled media a big smile as she walked by.

We know Cooper is no longer foreign secretary, but we are yet to hear the outcome of their visit to the prime minister.

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Lord David Blunkett says Andy Burnham will be an "approachable" prime minister and will open up Downing Street to listen and respond to "the men and women who make up the electorate".

"I think Andy will lift the lid on the closed nature of how government has so often been conducted," he tells the BBC.

• Andy Burnham served as parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to Blunkett during his tenure as home secretary. Burnham described the Labour peer as his "truest mentor" in his first speech as Labour leader, saying that Blunkett had taught him "everything I know, but certainly not about football"

Blunkett adds that John Healey will be "an incredible contribution" to the government as chancellor.

This is because he can deliver a message from people across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which is "we want a voice and we want to be heard", he says.

Labour figures, from cabinet to the back benches, are continuing to arrive at Downing Street as Andy Burnham picks those that will form his government.

Here are some of the recent additions:

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