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Sir Keir Starmer has made further sweeping changes to his top team with a junior minister reshuffle announced by Downing Street on Saturday.
Farming minister Daniel Zeichner has been sacked after a row over the Chancellor’s inheritance tax changes, while Jason Stockwood, who had a senior role at dating site Match.com, has been appointed to the Department of Business and Trade.
The prime minister has also made a number of changes to the Home Office, in a bid to get a grip on illegal immigration.
It comes as his chief secretary Darren Jones denied that Labour were in crisis, and rebuffed Nigel Farage’s prediction that there would be a general election in 2027.
Asked if Angela Rayner’s resignation over her tax affairs would cause a split in the party, Mr Jones said: “Nigel Farage is wrong there. The Labour Party is not going to split and there won’t be an early election.”
Starmer moved quickly to appoint David Lammy deputy prime minister while Yvette Cooper has been moved from home secretary to take up a new role as foreign secretary, with justice secretary Shabana Mahmood replacing her at the Home Office.
Mr Lammy also becomes justice secretary as well as deputy PM. Lucy Powell, the leader of the House of Commons, and Scottish secretary Ian Murray have been sacked from their roles. In total, a dozen cabinet positions were changed during the reshuffle.
Deputy leader of Reform UK Richard Tice said Lucy Connolly has a “huge opportunity to help” the party.
Delivering his speech at the party’s conference after Connolly gave an interview on stage, Mr Tice said: “It’s wonderful to see her back with us and to hear her direct telling her story.
“I think that she has a huge opportunity to help Reform and help the cause of free speech.”
Rebecca Whittaker6 September 2025 16:55
Sacked junior minister, Jim McMahon, has said the public’s “patience for change has run out”.
The former local government minister wrote in a post on X : “The Labour government must recognise that all politics is family and community.
“For over a decade working people and their communities have been hammered and patience for change has run out. It’s a hard inheritance but the reality.
“If people don’t urgently feel the benefit in better living standards; safer, cleaner and decent neighbourhoods then it’s for nothing.”
Rebecca Whittaker6 September 2025 16:45
Daniel Zeichner has been sacked as farming minister.
Former investment minister Poppy Gustaffson and former local government minister Jim McMahon have also left Government, Downing Street confirmed.
Farming minister Daniel Zeichner (House of Commons/PA) (PA Media)
Rebecca Whittaker6 September 2025 16:35
Lucy Connolly, who was jailed for stirring up racial hatred against asylum seekers, said she may want to work with Reform UK in the future.
She was asked what she wanted to do going forward.
“I’d really love to use my experience to work with, hopefully, Reform.”
She also said she voted for Reform UK at the last election.
Lucy Connolly was given a 31-month prison term after her post in the wake of the Southport murders (Facebook)
Rebecca Whittaker6 September 2025 16:25
Keir Starmer has identified the Home Office as a weakness in his government and decided to bring in a new team to tackle the increasingly difficult issues of illegal migration and the grooming gangs scandal.
Just a few weeks ago Yvette Cooper hosted a summer party for journalists at Lancaster House to build up her ministerial team and lay out her vision for the future of the department.
But in the last 24 hours she has been shifted to Foreign Secretary, policing minister Dame Diane Johnson has been sent to work and pensions, Dame Angela Eagle to be farming minister, and former security minister Dan Jarvis is relocated to the Cabinet Office.
While Downing Street has not issued any comment on the issue it appears that concerns over the way the department was performing have played a role in the clearout.
Record numbers of small boats hitting 50,000 over the summer, migrant hotels, rows over policing and the handling of the grooming gang scandal have all badly hurt Labour in the polls.
Meanwhile, with Reform 10 points ahead of Labour, Nigel Farage has built his support by capitalising on the perceived failures of the Home Office.
David Maddox, political editor 6 September 2025 16:16
The former managing director of Match.com has been appointed to the government as a minister of state in the Department for Business and Trade and the Treasury.
English businessman Jason Stockwood – who previously stood in the Greater Lincolnshire Mayoral race under the Labour banner – has been nominated for a life peerage in order to bring him into government, where he will help with Britain’s economic and trade policy.
Millie Cooke6 September 2025 15:51
In a statement, Downing Street has listed the junior minister reshuffle which has been approved this morning.
Holly Evans6 September 2025 15:36
Justin Madders MP has been the first junior minister to confirmed that he is leaving the government as Sir Keir Starmer’s reshuffle continues.
In a post on X, he wrote: “It has been a real privilege to serve as Minister for Employment Rights & begin delivering on our plan to make work pay.
“Sadly it is now time to pass the baton on – I wish my successor well & will do what I can to help them make sure the ERB is implemented as intended.”
He added that it is “disappointing” that he did not get to see the legislation through to Royal Assent.
Holly Evans6 September 2025 15:34
It comes after confusion over the Reform UK leader’s position on the issue, after he initially said he would deport women back to Afghanistan, before later saying he wouldn’t.
But he said the UK has a “duty of care” if a four-year-old were to arrive in a dinghy.
“For clarity, those that cross the English Channel will be detained and deported, men and women,” he added.
“Children, we’ll have to think about.”
Mr Farage faced condemnation last month when he said everyone who arrives in the UK via small boat, including women and children, would be detained.
Read the full article here from our political correspondent Millie Cooke:
Holly Evans6 September 2025 15:20
A Reform UK government would do away with “woke policing”, MP Sarah Pochin has said.
Speaking to the party’s conference in Birmingham, the Runcorn and Helsby MP said: “We have had enough of woke policing.
“Police appearing to sympathise with protest groups that simply do not reflect the views of the majority of the British people.
“I am sure that the police themselves would like nothing more than to get back to tackling crime, policing with impartiality and to protecting the British people.
“A Reform government will address these issues and restore a strong police presence on our streets.”
Holly Evans6 September 2025 14:56