Andy Burnham has begun sweeping Cabinet changes after becoming prime minister, sacking several senior figures who had been loyal to his predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and ministers Steve Reed and Peter Kyle. The reshuffle signals a decisive break from the Starmer era and has been accompanied by pointed remarks from those dismissed about loyalty and internal party manoeuvring, underscoring tensions within Labour over the direction of the new leadership.

Alongside the sackings, Lord Timpson, the prisons minister who oversaw the government's contentious early-release scheme, has resigned. In his first speech as prime minister, Burnham pledged to "be better" than Starmer and hinted at a leftward shift in policy, though he offered little concrete detail, prompting criticism from commentators who described the address as vague. Cabinet appointments were continuing to be announced as the reshuffle unfolded.