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Rachel Reeves has been appointed Sir Keir Starmer’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, becoming the first woman to take charge of the Treasury, following Labour’s election landslide.
Alongside deputy leader Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting, Ms Reeves was among the senior Labour Party members seen arriving at Downing Street.
Labour has emerged from the general election with one of the biggest parliamentary majorities in history, having won 412 seats. That is a majority of 176, with results from the last two seats still to come.
Earlier, Rishi Sunak apologised to the country as he left Downing Street and resigned as both prime minister and party leader this morning.
The Conservatives have won just 121 seats. Liz Truss, Penny Mordaunt and Jacob Rees-Mogg are among a host of senior Tories to have lost in their constituencies.
The Liberal Democrats won 71 seats and the Green Party picked up four seats, the SNP nine and Plaid Cymru four.
Nigel Farage was booed and heckled by audience members at his press conference in London after his Reform UK party won four seats.
Key Points
- Rachel Reeves becomes first female chancellor
- Protesters marched out of Farage speech
- PM vows to ‘rebuild the country’ in speech
- Sunak steps down as party leader in final speech
- Truss, Mordaunt, Rees-Mogg and Shapps among senior Tories to lose seats
Pinned: As the sun shone, a new PM outside 10 Downing Street
Sir Keir Starmer has adressed the nation as prime minister after Labour won a parliamentary majority of at least 176 in a landslide election win.
Speaking from outside Number 10 before a cheering crowd, he:
- Opened by paying tribute to Rishi Sunak as the first British Asian PM and thanked him for his “dedication and hard work”.
- Promised his new government “will serve” the country and deliver the change needed to rebuild trust in UK politics. “This wound, this lack of trust can only be healed by actions, not words,” the Labour leader said.
- Vowed to “fight every day” until people start believing in thr power of politics again. He told the nation he is committed to rule by “country first, party second”.
- Reminded people that he now has a clear mandate and will use it to “deliver change”. Thanking the audience, he said: “Our work is urgent and we begin it today.”
There must be no limit to your ambitions, Reeves tells girls
Britain’s first female Chancellor described the appointment as “the honour of my life” and a sign for all women and girls that there should be “no limit to your ambitions”.
Rachel Reeves said on social media: “It is the honour of my life to have been appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer.
“Economic growth was the Labour Party’s mission. It is now a national mission. Let’s get to work.”
She added: “To every young girl and woman reading this, let today show that there should be no limit to your ambitions.”
Jane Dalton5 July 2024 16:07 1720191859Role for McFadden
Pat McFadden has been appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
As national campaign coordinator, he has played a central role in shaping Labour’s direction in the run-up to the election.
Lisa Nandy, Ian Murray, Louise Haigh, Lucy Powell and Liz Kendall were in the next wave of Labour frontbenchers to arrive at Downing Street as Sir Keir Starmer appoints his government.
Cooper is home secretary
Yvette Cooper has been appointed home secretary and John Healey is the defence secretary, No 10 said.
Lammy becomes foreign secretary
David Lammy has been appointed as foreign secretary.
There had been some questions over whether he would keep the role he held in the shadow cabinet after he kept a relatively low profile during the election campaign.
Rachel Reeves becomes first female chancellor
One of Keir Starmer’s easiest appointments for the new prime minister was his new chancellor:
Reeves becomes first female chancellor and Rayner deputy PM in Starmer’s new top team
Rachel Reeves becomes Britain’s first female chancellor as Starmer appoints his new top team
Jane Dalton5 July 2024 15:55 1720190070Ed Milliband arrives at Downing Street
Ed Miliband has arrived to meet Sir Keir Starmer in Number 10.
Ed Miliband said it was “a fantastic day” as he entered No 10.
The former Labour party leader, wearing a bright red tie, shared some brief exchanges with reporters as he walked up Downing Street.
Breaking: Rachel Reeves appointed chancellor
Sir Keir Starmer has appointed Rachel Reeves as chancellor, she becomes the first woman to be in Number 11 in its 803-year history.
The former Bank of Engalnd economist promised to never “play fast and loose” with the country’s finances.
Salma Ouaguira5 July 2024 15:32 1720189446Farage accuses Labour of having ‘most racism in British politics'
While Sir Keir Starmer is in Downing Street appointing the new cabinet, Nigel Farage accused the party of having most racism in British politics.
Asked at a press conference how he would vet Reform candidates properly going forward, including for racism, he said: “Very easy. You go back through their social media records, you obviously do police checks and things like that, no, it’s not difficult to do it and the message has to be clear and simple.
“We don’t want anyone like that involved with us. Indeed I mean the racism problem in the Labour Party was enormous, but to Keir Starmer’s credit actually he did quite a lot by getting rid of Jeremy Corbyn, who ironically has been re-elected.
“There’s an awful lot we can do. There is plenty of racism in British politics, it’s mostly in the Labour Party.”
Asked whether he would give up his broadcasting career and still planned to go and support Donald Trump in his US presidential election campaign, Mr Farage said: “I haven’t got a clue. I haven’t thought any of this through yet.
“We’ve been so busy focused on running to the line of July the 4th that we have a lot to think about. But you known what you say I’m a very busy man – you want to get a job done ask a busy man to do it, they somehow always find the time.”
Jonathan Reynolds arrives at No 10
The shadow business secertary has arrived at Downing Street.
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