Pakistani-origin politician Shabana Mahmood was appointed Britain’s new interior minister on Friday as Prime Minister Keir Starmer carried out his first major cabinet reshuffle since taking office in July 2024. Starmer brought in his “loyal friends” in a sweeping shake-up intended to restore his authority after the resignation of his deputy, Angela Rayner.
The reshuffle was expected after Starmer had already reshaped his Downing Street team to bolster his economic advice. Mahmood, 44, a former barrister and the most senior Muslim in UK politics, now takes charge of the Home Office after serving as justice minister. She has been an MP since 2010 and held several shadow portfolios, but declined to serve in Jeremy Corbyn’s team when he was the party leader.
The shake-up was much deeper than widely predicted due to the departure of deputy premier Angela Rayner, who resigned after Britain’s independent adviser ruled that she had breached the ministerial code by failing to pay the correct tax. Starmer had limited options to protect Rayner, and her resignation forced him to draw a line under a week of distracting speculation.
Other key moves in the cabinet saw Yvette Cooper, previously at the Home Office, become foreign minister, while David Lammy moved up to deputy prime minister and justice secretary. One Labour lawmaker called Rayner a “big beast” and hard to replace, adding that the three new appointments were “sound” if not “overly exciting.”
