Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Who could hold top roles in a Labour government?

Who could hold top roles in a Labour government?

With the Labour Party widely expected to win next month's UK general election, speculation is growing about who leader Keir Starmer might appoint as senior ministers.

Here are the contenders for the most prominent positions:


Deputy prime minister: Angela Rayner

Angela Rayner, 44, stands out in a political landscape often dominated by those educated at private schools and top universities. She grew up in social housing in northern England, left school without a degree, and became a single mother at 16.

A trade unionist before entering parliament in 2015, she was elected Labour's number two in 2020. Rayner's left-wing background and straightforward style contrast with Starmer's more formal public persona.

"He smooths off my rough edges. I bring him out of his shell," she has said.

Besides being deputy prime minister, Rayner would handle housing policy and address regional inequalities.

Finance: Rachel Reeves

Rachel Reeves, a former Bank of England economist, is poised to become the first female chancellor of the exchequer, residing next door to Starmer at 11 Downing Street.

Reeves, 45, has described this possibility as breaking "the last glass ceiling in politics."

Central to Labour's efforts to regain economic trust, she asserts it is now "the natural party of British business."

Known for her economic competence, Reeves has promised "iron discipline" on public finances.

The former child chess champion, an MP since 2010, has pledged to be "pro worker" and "pro business."

Foreign affairs: David Lammy

David Lammy, 51, a black lawmaker with roots in slavery, has developed his diplomatic vision through numerous foreign trips over the past two years.

He argues that the foreign ministry needs to "rediscover the art of grand strategy" post-Brexit.

An MP since 2000, Lammy is expected to steer Britain towards closer EU ties, a challenging task given the hesitance in both Brussels and among eurosceptic Britons.

He will also face pressure on Labour's policies towards Israel and the conflict in Gaza.

A friend of Barack Obama, Lammy may also have to navigate a potential return of Donald Trump, whom he has called a "neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath" and "profound threat to the international order."

Home affairs: Yvette Cooper

Yvette Cooper's extensive political experience will be tested as she leads the Home Office, known for its challenges.

An MP since the late 1990s and a minister in the 2000s, she has been Labour's home affairs spokesperson during two periods in opposition.

A 2015 party leadership candidate, Cooper is praised for her policy knowledge and communication skills.

Immigration, a key election issue, will likely dominate her portfolio.

Health: Wes Streeting

Wes Streeting, a centrist with a high profile in the election campaign, is seen as one of Labour's best communicators.

The 41-year-old from a working-class background in east London is a potential future leader.

Before that, he must tackle the National Health Service's (NHS) challenges, exacerbated by years of Conservative austerity and the pandemic.

Streeting, a cancer survivor, will draw on his personal NHS experiences.

Defence: John Healey

John Healey, a party veteran, is expected to become defence secretary as global insecurity rises, particularly with the war in Ukraine.

The 64-year-old, an MP since 1997, held several government posts during Labour's previous 13-year tenure. Labour has pledged to increase military spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP (from 2.3 percent this year) "as soon as" economic conditions allow.

(AFP)

More For You

Police arrest five after anti-asylum protesters target Heathrow hotel

Anti-migrant protesters demonstrate outside the Cladhan Hotel on August 30, 2025 in Falkirk, Scotland. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Police arrest five after anti-asylum protesters target Heathrow hotel

BRITISH police said they arrested five people on Saturday (30) after masked men tried to force their way into a hotel used by asylum-seekers, a day after the government won a court ruling on the use of another hotel to house migrants.

Two groups of anti-asylum protesters marched to the Crowne Plaza Hotel near Heathrow Airport before some demonstrators tried to break in, London's Metropolitan Police force said.

Keep ReadingShow less
Modi backs peaceful Ukraine settlement in call with Zelenskyy

Volodymyr Zelenskiy (L) and Narendra Modi

Modi backs peaceful Ukraine settlement in call with Zelenskyy

INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed his support for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Modi's office said.

Zelenskiy, speaking in his nightly video address on Saturday (30), said Modi supported Ukraine's call for a ceasefire in the war with Russia and hoped that notion would be heard at the forthcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China.

Keep ReadingShow less
Modi says "peace and stability" achieved on China border in Xi meeting

India's prime minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Chinese president Xi Jinping during a meeting on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, August 31, 2025. India's Press Information Bureau/Handout via REUTERS

Modi says "peace and stability" achieved on China border in Xi meeting

INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi said New Delhi was committed to improving ties with Beijing in a key meeting with China's president Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a regional security forum on Sunday (31).

Modi is in China for the first time in seven years to attend a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, along with Russian president Vladimir Putin and other leaders from Central, South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East in a show of Global South solidarity.

Keep ReadingShow less
wasim bashir

Bashir retired from the force while under investigation but will still face misconduct proceedings. (Photo credit: West Yorkshire Police)

West Yorkshire Police

Former West Yorkshire Police officer jailed for misconduct

A FORMER West Yorkshire Police officer has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison after being convicted of misconduct in a public office.

Wasim Bashir, 55, who worked as a detective constable in Bradford District, was found guilty of one count of misconduct in a public office for forming a sexual relationship with a female victim of crime. He was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, 29 August.

Keep ReadingShow less
Epping protests

Protesters calling for the closure of The Bell Hotel, which was housing asylum seekers, gather outside the council offices in Epping on August 8, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Over a dozen councils plan legal action despite Home Office court win

Highlights:

  • Court of Appeal has overturned injunction blocking use of Epping hotel for asylum seekers.
  • Judges say human rights obligations outweigh local safety concerns.
  • At least 13 councils preparing legal action despite ruling.
  • Protests outside the Bell Hotel lead to arrests and police injuries.

MORE than a dozen councils are moving ahead with legal challenges against the use of hotels for asylum seekers despite the Home Office winning an appeal in the Court of Appeal.

Keep ReadingShow less