Sir Keir Starmer has completed a major reshuffle of his senior ministers following Angela Rayner’s resignation from the Government after breaching the ministerial code.

The chaos unfolded within a matter of hours, as two ministers were sacked and others were reassigned to different briefs. Most significantly, David Lammy replaced Ms Rayner as Deputy PM, Yvette Cooper took his former role as Foreign Secretary and Shabana Mahmood became Home Secretary – tasked with the all-important role of tackling the migrant crisis.

Whether the shake-up – which overshadowed the first day of Reform UK’s party conference in Birmingham – will mark a fresh start for Keir Starmer’s government remains to be seen.

We’re now bringing our live coverage to a close, but check back in tomorrow for all the latest news and discussion on UK politics.

James Cleverly has described Keir Starmer’s reshuffle as a series of “sideways moves” that neither “promote new talent or remove dead wood”.

“It can only be that he put people into the wrong jobs last year,” the Shadow Housing Secretary said in a post on X.

David Lammy has described it as “the honour of his life” to be Deputy PM, Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary.

“My friend Angela Rayner has done a tremendous job as Deputy Prime Minister, helping to build the homes Britain needs and improve workers’ rights,” he said. “She will continue to be a huge figure in our party and country.”

Kemi Badenoch has accused Keir Starmer of “shuffling deckchairs around on his sinking government” following a major reshuffle of key cabinet ministers.

The Tory leader also warned that Labour was facing a “civil war” over its deputy party leadership, something she said would be “an enormous distraction from the problems facing Britain”.

Yvette Cooper has arrived at Downing Street after a cabinet reshuffle reassigned her from Home Secretary to Foreign Secretary. Ms Cooper reportedly travelled from her Yorkshire constituency to London following the post-Rayner shake-up.

Today’s reshuffle marks the first time all Great Offices of State except the Prime Minister have been occupied by women.

Shabana Mahmood has been appointed as Home Secretary and Yvette Cooper as Foreign Secretary, while Rachel Reeves remains in place as Chancellor.

Keir Starmer’s government reshuffle has seen dozens of senior figures assigned new briefs – but a handful of ministers have made it through the shake-up unscathed. Below are the officials expected to remain in their cabinet roles:

– Rachel Reeves as Chancellor of the Exchequer

– Jon Healey as Defence Secretary

– Ed Miliband as Energy Secretary

– Wes Streeting as Health Secretary

– Bridget Phillipson as Education Secretary

– Lisa Nandy as Culture Secretary

– Heidi Alexander as Transport Secretary

Downing Street has published a list of all the cabinet ministers in new roles. They are as follows:

– David Lammy becomes Justice Secretary and Deputy PM

– Darren Jones becomes Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and keeps his role as Chief Secretary to the PM

– Yvette Cooper becomes Foreign Secretary

– Shabana Mahmood becomes Home Secretary

– Steve Reed becomes Housing Secretary

– Pat McFadden becomes Work and Pensions Secretary

– Peter Kyle becomes Business and Trade Secretary

– Liz Kendall becomes Science Secretary

– Emma Reynolds becomes Environment Secretary

– Douglas Alexander becomes Scotland Secretary

– Jonathan Reynolds becomes Chief Whip and will attend cabinet

– Sir Alan Campbell becomes Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council, and will also attend cabinet

Number 10 also confirmed that Angela Rayner, Lucy Powell and Ian Murray have left government.

Shabana Mahmood has been pictured arriving at Downing Street following news of her promotion from Justice Secretary to Home Secretary.

Lisa Nandy may be one in a minority of cabinet ministers who manage to hold onto their briefs in today’s reshuffle.

Ms Nandy will be staying on as Culture Secretary, the BBC reports, with Rachel Reeves also not budging as Chancellor.

Former Science Secretary Peter Kyle will become Business Secretary as Keir Starmer continues reshuffling his cabinet ministers following Angela Rayner’s resignation, reports suggest.

His old role will likely be filled by Liz Kendall, who has been ousted from her position at the Department for Work and Pensions.

It is unclear whether former Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will also be moved to another cabinet position.

Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey has urged the Prime Minister to “grab the bull by the horns and confront the real issues” instead of just “moving people around the cabinet table”.

In a post on X, Mr Davey said: “If Keir Starmer thinks a reshuffle will solve anything, he is learning the wrong lessons from the calamity Conservatives.”

Steve Reed will replace Angela Rayner as Housing Secretary following her resignation, the BBC reports.

He was previously Environment Secretary.

David Lammy was all smiles as he arrived at Downing Street following reports that he will replace Angela Rayner as Deputy Prime Minister and be appointed Justice Secretary in a major cabinet shake-up.

Pat McFadden is being tipped to take over a new “super ministry” combining multiple government departments.

The former Cabinet Office minister will be the new Work and Pensions Secretary and take charge of the skills remit of the Department of Education, reports suggest.

Liz Kendall, who faced major backlash earlier this year for her planned cuts to the benefits bill, could be moved to the Science Secretary role in Keir Starmer’s cabinet reshuffle, reports suggest.

She would replace Peter Kyle, who currently holds the title. The move would signal a demotion for Ms Kendall.

Shabana Mahmood’s reshuffle from Justice Secretary to Home Secretary is being described as the most significant of today’s cabinet moves by media pundits.

Her predecessor Yvette Cooper faced major criticism for failing to meaningfully grasp and tackle the migrant crisis, and Labour insiders are reportedly hopeful Ms Mahmood will take a more hardline approach to a topic the Prime Minister has pointed to as a priority of his government.

Ms Mahmood told The Times in 2023 that she thought the party needed to get “more comfortable talking about immigration”.

“The record numbers of small boat crossings are one of Keir Starmer’s biggest challenges ahead of the general election,” Steven Swinford, Political Editor at The Times, said.

“She is highly rated by Starmer and Morgan McSweeney, his chief of staff, and is seen to have done a good job with an incredibly tricky brief during the prison crisis. How radical is Mahmood prepared to be?”

David Lammy has been appointed as deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary in a major Labour reshuffle.

Shabana Mahmood will replace Yvette Cooper as Home Secretary and Ms Cooper will be appointed Foreign Secretary.

Voters in Angela Rayner’s constituency of Ashton-under-Lyne had little sympathy for the deputy PM after she announced she was resigning from government today.

Locals told the PA News Agency that while they were proud she was a “local girl done good”, they thought it was unacceptable for someone in her position to “fiddle the taxpayer”.

Doug Calbert, a retired engineer, said: “She was pretty critical of the Tories when they were doing the same sort of thing, so it smacks of hypocrisy if she had not resigned herself.”

Wilf Billam, a retired Remploy worker, added: “She’s resigned because she’s been caught doing something wrong.

“People with massive amounts of money have solicitors so they can pay less tax. It’s backfired for her, hasn’t it?”

Denise Smith, a retired civil servant from Droylsden, said: “I’m pleased that she’s resigned because I think she’s lost her integrity. You can’t make the rules up and not follow them yourself.

“I’m upset she’s still my MP. If she’s broken the Ministerial Code she should resign as an MP and we should have a by-election.

“I’m a long-standing Labour voter. We waited a long time for a Labour government and we’ve been really badly let down.”

Conservative party chair Kevin Hollinrake has said Angela Rayner tried to “lie” and “cover up” her tax affairs before they became subject to “public scrutiny”.

“There are some real questions to ask now still of Angela Rayner, but also Keir Starmer,” he told reporters.

Mr Hollinrake also called for HMRC to investigate whether Ms Rayner had deliberately dodged paying £40,000 in stamp duty and accused the Prime Minister of continuing to support her “despite knowing that there must be something wrong himself”.

Yvette Cooper is set to be reshuffled to a different role in Keir Starmer’s cabinet, according to reports.

The Home Secretary could be replaced by Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, and moved to another position, possibly in the Foreign Office.

Ms Cooper has faced major criticism since Labour came to power, especially for her handling of the migrant crisis – with over 50,000 people crossing the channel in small boats since last July.

Labour MP Andy McDonald has urged the Prime Minister not to alienate the left of the party by choosing a new deputy leader in an undemocratic way.

Mr McDonald told Sky: “I think it would be a real error, the membership would be pretty cheesed-off if we have a stitch-up and miss the opportunity to have a proper contest.

“That’s the Labour Party at its best when it can have that discussion and that debate and options put before it.

“If there’s going to be no option, I’m afraid that’s not consistent with the traditions of the party and it’s not consistent with the views and values of the membership. So we’ve got to remember who we are and what we stand for.”

Ian Murray, who has been sacked as Scotland Secretary as part of Keir Starmer’s cabinet shake-up following Angela Rayner’s resignation, said he was “hugely disappointed” to leave government.

While he said the Prime Minister has his “full support”, Mr Murray added: “I am hugely disappointed to be leaving government, with so much done and so much more to do.”

Mr Murray was the only Scottish Labour MP left in Westminster after the party’s 2019 general election defeat and has represented Edinburgh South since 2010.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has described Angela Rayner as a “brilliant Deputy Prime Minister and trailblazing Secretary of State” following her resignation from government.

Leader of the Commons Lucy Powell has confirmed that she was sacked by Prime Minister Keir Starmer today.

The shake-up comes months after Ms Powell invited criticism by dismissing the grooming gangs scandal as a “dog whistle” issue on BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions.

Keir Starmer will appoint a new deputy Prime Minister – with whoever he choses a potential contender for the deputy party leader role, according to the BBC.

Two members of Keir Starmer’s cabinet have been ousted as part of a shake-up following Angela Rayner’s departure as deputy PM.

Lucy Powell, leader of the Commons, and Ian Murray, Scotland Secretary, have been sacked this afternoon, reports suggest.

Residents in Hove, where Ms Rayner bought the £800,000 seaside flat at the centre of her tax scandal, said they have “mixed feelings” over news of her resignation.

“She was very busy and when you are busy you don’t always use common sense,” said Ann, who is from Australia but lives in the UK.

The group echoed that it was a “shame” but agreed with Ann that “£40,000 is an awful lot of money for some people”.

They added that they thought Ms Rayner was telling the truth and that it was “hard to tell” if she was responsible for the mistake.

“I think it’s most unfortunate the whole thing,” said Elaine, 88, who has lived in Hove since she was 11.

Others in the area have been much less charitable, shaking their heads at the mention of Ms Rayner and calling for her to be sacked.

Another local, Paul, said: “They’re all the same, different rules for them than it is for us.”

Diane Abbott said Angela Rayner is “an authentic part of the Labour movement” in a post shared on X following news of the deputy PM’s resignation.

Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey has said that while he sympathised with Angela Rayner’s experience as the parent of a disabled child, she “broke the rules” to “had to go”.

He told Sky News: “I just hope the government can now move on to help the millions of people in our country who are having a tough time … Once we’ve got this out the way, please can we focus on what people need on cost-of-living, on health?”

Jeremy Clarkson has taken a brutal swipe at Angela Rayner following news of her resignation from government, suggesting that British taxpayers “have funded every aspect of her entire life”.

Clarkson, who has been outspoken against Labour’s planned inheritance tax on agricultural land, previously pointed to hypocrisy in the defence of Ms Rayner’s tax scandal that she was “only trying to look after her child”.

“When a farmer tries to look after his children, they say he’s a tax dodger,” he said.

After days of mounting pressure and speculation, Angela Rayner stepped down from her roles in the Labour Government this afternoon.

Her departure could be detrimental to Keir Starmer’s leadership, having reportedly played a crucial role in bridging the gap between Number 10 and backbenchers in revolts such as that over proposed welfare cuts earlier this year.

Critics including Tory leader Kemi Badenoch say her position has been “untenable for days” – but do you think she was right to go? Have your say in our poll – ‘Do you think Angela Rayner has done the right thing by resigning?’

While Keir Starmer’s government reels from Angela Rayner’s resignation and the impending chaos of a cabinet shake-up, the atmosphere at Reform UK’s party conference in Birmingham is anything but sombre.

After Nigel Farage declared the government to be full of “wholly unqualified people”, Dame Andrea Jenkyns led members in a chant of “Nigel Farage will be Prime Minister”, according to reports.

The mayor of Greater Lincolnshire urged those attending the conference to “stand up and be proud to be the party of the brave” and exited the stage with the declaration that “Reform will save Britain”.

Energy secretary Ed Miliband has described Angela Rayner as “one of the great British political figures of our time”.

Angela Rayner “is the embodiment of social mobility”, Darren Jones, who was made the Prime Minister’s chief secretary on Monday, said.

In a post shared to X after she resigned from her roles in Keir Starmer’s government, he wrote: “Angela Rayner achieved a huge amount for the country this past year – record investment in council housing and better pay and rights at work.

“For our Labour movement Angela is the embodiment of social mobility and an inspiration to those of us from working-class backgrounds.”

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has told an audience at the party conference that Angela Rayner’s resignation over her tax affairs “screams to entitlement”.

“It screams to a government that despite all the promises that this would be a new, different kind of politics is as bad – if not worse – than the one that went before,” he said.

He added that he had brought forward his keynote speech at Reform UK’s party conference after Ms Rayner’s resignation because the Government is “deep in crisis” and “not fit to govern”.

Here is Keir Starmer’s full response to Angela Rayner’s resignation:

“Dear Angela,

Thank you for informing me of your decision to resign from the Government. I am very sad that your time as Deputy Prime Minister, Secretary of State and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party has ended in this way.

As you know we acted in accordance with the strengthened system relating to ministerial conduct that we put in place on coming into Government.

You were right to refer yourself to the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards and right to act on his conclusion.

Although I believe you have reached the right decision, it is a decision which I know is very painful for you. You have given your all to making the Labour Government a success and you have been a central part of our plan to make Britain fairer for working families.

Your work at MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) to help build the homes that Britain needs has been hugely important and your work to create more fairness in the workplace through the Employment Rights Bill represents a very significant achievement that will change the lives of millions of people.

On a personal note, I am very sad to be losing you from the Government. You have been a trusted colleague and a true friend for many years. I have nothing but admiration for you and huge respect for your achievements in politics.

I know that many people of all political persuasions admire that someone as talented as you is the living embodiment of social mobility.

Even though you won’t be part of the Government, you will remain a major figure in our party. I know you will continue to fight for the causes you care so passionately about.

My very best wishes and with real sadness,

Keir.”

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused Keir Starmer of showing “no principle, no backbone” in a video shared on X moments after news of Angela Rayner’s resignation broke.

She described the Labour Government as in crisis, suggesting that “all of this is a distraction from the profound economic crisis the country is facing because of [Starmer’s] decisions”.

“One rule for them, another for everyone else,” she added. “The country deserves better. Only the Conservatives under my leadership will deliver that.”

Wes Streeting has described his former cabinet colleague as “a trailblazer for working class kids” in a statement shared after news of her resignation.

“Angela Rayner has achieved more in the last year than most politicians achieve in a lifetime – a trailblazer for working class kids from backgrounds like ours,” the health secretary said.

“When those kids have a council house, when their mums and dads have better rights and pay, they’ll have her to thank.”

Tracy Brabin, Labour Mayor of West Yorkshire, is among Angela Rayner’s allies who have shared statements following the news of her resignation from government.

“I have been honoured to work alongside Angela Rayner over the last decade,” Ms Brabin said. “From driving devolution, to the construction of more council homes and improving workers’ rights – her achievements in government will be long-lasting.”

Labour MP Antonia Bance added: “Thanks to Angela Rayner, zero hours contracts will be banned, no-one will be subject to fire at will, no-one will be able to be fired and rehired, and no-one will lose their private rented home just cos their landlord wants them out. That’s quite some legacy.”

Nigel Farage has brought forward his leader’s speech at the Reform UK conference following news of Angela Rayner’s resignation as deputy prime minister.

He will now speak at 1pm, three hours earlier than previously expected.

The Prime Minister has already started a cabinet reshuffle following Angela Rayner’s resignation, but reports suggest his chancellor Rachel Reeves will remain in post. Keir Starmer is understood to be making changes to his government beyond replacing Ms Rayner as housing secretary.

Angela Rayner’s resignation over her tax scandal will “split the Labour Party”, Nigel Farage says.

The Reform UK leader said in a video shared to X: “It was inevitable, wasn’t it? You can’t be the housing secretary and avoid £40,000 worth of stamp duty. It’s just as simple as that.

“There will be an internal election within the Labour Party [following her departure] and you’re going to see the hard left of Labour shouting very, very loudly.”

Downing Street has released a handwritten letter from the Prime Minister to Angela Rayner following news of her resignation.

Mr Starmer thanked his former deputy for referring herself to the independent advisor on ministerial standards and said she was “right to act on his conclusion”.

He added that he is “very sad that your time as deputy Prime Minister, secretary of state and deputy leader of the Labour Party has ended in this way”.

“I have nothing but admiration for you and huge respect for your achievements in politics,” the PM wrote. “I know that many people of all political persuasions admire that someone as talented as you is the living embodiment of social mobility.

“Even though you won’t be part of the Government, you will remain a major figure in our party.”

Angela Rayner “did not heed the caution” in legal advice she received when buying her Hove flat, a report has found.

Independent ethics advisor Sir Laurie Magnus said in his letter: “I believe Ms Rayner has acted with integrity and with a dedicated and exemplary commitment to public service.

“I consider, however, that her unfortunate failure to settle her SDLT liability at the correct level, coupled with the fact that this was established only following intensive public scrutiny, leads me to advise you that, in relation to this matter, she cannot be considered to have met the ‘highest possible standards of proper conduct’ as envisaged by the Code.

“Accordingly, it is with deep regret that I must advise you that in these circumstances, I consider the Code to have been breached.”

Angela Rayner has officially resigned from the Labour Government.

“I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice given both my position as Housing Secretary and my complex family arrangements,” she said. “I take full responsibility for this error. I would like to take this opportunity to repeat that it was never my intention to do anything other than pay the right amount.”

Angela Rayner’s resignation as Housing Secretary and Deputy PM will be a major political headache for Keir Starmer just days after he launched ‘phase two’ of his government.

The Prime Minister will now be forced to shake-up his cabinet once again. Rayner has also left her position as deputy leader of the Labour Party – with her successor to be chosen by party members.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said “Britain deserves better” after accusing Keir Starmer of being too weak to sack Angela Rayner has his deputy PM.

“Angela Rayner is finally gone. But it’s only because of Keir Starmer’s weakness that she wasn’t sacked three days ago,” she said. “Britain deserves better.”

Angela Rayner has quit her job following the culmination of an invetigation into her purchase of a flat in Hove.

Her decision to resign saves the Prime Minister from having to sack one of his closest allies in the party.

Angela Rayner has stepped down from her role in government.

Rayner, has left her position as Housing Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister following the scandal.

It remains unclear if she will remain as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party although it is considered unlikely that she will be able to hold on to the role.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has received the report by his independent ethics adviser into Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner’s tax affairs and is considering its findings, the PA news agency understands.

Reports suggest that a decision on Rayner’s future has been made and that a decision is imminent…

Sir Keir Starmer swept to power promising to restore trust in politics and a potential breach of the ministerial code by one of his biggest allies is the most significant test of that promise so far.

In opposition, Starmer vowed that any minister guilty of breaking rules would be “fired on the spot”, putting him in a difficult position should it come to light that his deputy did just that.

In Tom Baldwin’s autbiography of Starmer, he is quoted as saying: “People will only believe we are changing politics when I fire someone on the spot.

“If a minister, any minister, makes a serious breach of the rules, they will be out,” he says.

What if it’s someone as vital to his project as Rachel Reeves? “It doesn’t matter who it is, they’ll be sacked,” replies Starmer, staring back, unblinking.

Labour former Cabinet Minister Ed Balls has branded Angela Rayner “hypocritical” for failing to resign after admitting she had underpaid £40,000 in stamp duty. But Mr Balls, who served in Gordon Brown’s government, also suggested Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was scared to sack Ms Rayner, his deputy prime minister.

Read more here

Former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson has little sympathy for the situation Rayner finds herself in after the government’s decision to remove farmers’ exemption from inheritance tax.

He said on X: ” I’m puzzled. Labourites tell us that Angela Rayner was only trying to look after her child which they quite rightly say is understandable.

“But when a farmer tries to look after his children, they say he’s a tax dodger.”

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has made a new intervention:

Since the scandal broke earlier this week, Rayner’s flat in Hove has been targetted by thugs who spraypainted “tax evader” and “b***h” outside her property.

Angela Rayner has previously been outspoken in her criticism of MPs who have been exposed for failing to pay the correct tax.

Deputy Leader of Reform UK Richard Tice has called on her to reisgn or face the sack.

He said: “She called for others to resign over tax errors. She admits her own tax errors whilst Deputy Prime Minister.

“If she has any integrity, she will resign. If not, Starmer must sack hypocrite Rayner”

Ms Rayner’s colleagues in Government have lined up to defend her record, with trade minister Douglas Alexander on Friday morning telling Times Radio she was in politics “for the right reasons”.

Mr Alexander also urged patience ahead of the conclusion of the investigation, telling BBC Breakfast: “I would just ask your viewers to think, what would they want, in their circumstances, in their workplace. Of course, there need to be procedures.

“There’s frustration while that process is under way but I think everyone is entitled to due process, and that’s the process that’s under way, but, listen, I get it.”

He added: “I’m not pretending these are headlines that any of us would choose, least of all Angela Rayner, and that’s why, if the reports are true that this is going to be dealt with relatively quickly, of course, I think that’s basically a good thing, not just for Angela, but for the Government as well.”

Mr Alexander told LBC that “on a personal level” he hopes Ms Rayner remains as Deputy Prime Minister.

Rayner has claimed that she recieved incorrect advice on the amount of tax she was required to pay when purchasing the property in Hove.

However, this has been disputed by Rayner’s conveyancer firm who issued a strong rebuke in a statement.

They said: “My firm does not deal with trusts or offer tax advice. The Stamp Duty Land Tax as calculated using the HMRC calculator and was strictly based on the facts and information provided to us.”

At the time of writing, we do not know what time the findings will be presented to the PM or when any decision will be made public.

However, the independent ethics probe is expected to conclude and be made public today.

Angela Rayner has become one of the Labour Party’s most prominent and well known figures under Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.

The Housing Secretary is also the Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.

Her dismissal would create a significant headache for the Prime Minister and could trigger a Labour Party Deputy Leadership election, a sideshow that Keir Starmer could very well do without.

Angela Rayner is expected to face a crunch moment on Friday as she battles for her political future.

An independent ethics probe into the Deputy Prime Minister’s tax affairs is expected to report back ahead of the weekend on whether she broke ministerial standards rules when she purchased a property in Hove.

It comes as lawyers she blamed for her stamp duty underpayment denied having given her tax advice.

Sir Keir Starmer repeatedly declined to say whether he would sack his deputy, who is also the Housing Secretary, if his independent ethics watchdog rules against her.

The Prime Minister said he would “of course” act on the findings of Sir Laurie Magnus’s probe following Ms Rayner’s acknowledgement that she failed to pay a £40,000 tax surcharge on a flat she bought in Hove this year.