20 July 2026 , 19:33
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John Healey has replaced Rachel Reeves as Chancellor in a shock appointment by Andy Burnham.
Andy Burnham had been widely tipped to appoint Shabana Mahmood or Ed Miliband to the post, but instead opted for the former Defence Secretary.
Healey, who quit the government last month over military spending, will replace Rachel Reeves.
Reeves is among as many as nine other Starmer loyalists in Cabinet who have resigned or been fired by the new Prime Minister, including David Lammy and Steve Reed.
Senior figures Liz Kendall, Darren Jones, Peter Kyle and Lord Hermer have all quit or been forced out.
Burnham is now hunkered down in Number 10 drawing up his top team of ministers to replace them.
The former Manchester mayor entered Downing Street earlier today pledging a ‘new plan’ that would be a ‘circuit breaker’ for Britain.
In his first speech as Prime Minister, he said his ‘first instruction’ once inside Number 10 would be to end rough sleeping.
Burnham promised to announce new measures tomorrow to give people ‘some breathing space’ during the cost-of-living crisis.
The Prime Minister also pledged to ‘take power out’ of Downing Street and ‘carry it into every postcode in the land.’
Burnham has already held a phone call with Donald Trump in his first chat with a world leader.
The UK’s new Prime Minister spoke to the US President over the phone hours after entering Number 10.
Head of Investigations