By Labour leader and Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed David Lammy as deputy prime minister, following Angela Rayner’s resignation from the role on Tuesday. Lammy, who also takes on the position of justice secretary, was named in a cabinet reshuffle that saw Yvette Cooper move to foreign secretary and Shabana Mahmood assume the office of home secretary.
Rayner stepped down as deputy prime minister, housing secretary, and deputy Labour leader after admitting to underpaying stamp duty on her £800,000 flat in Hove, East Sussex. She had earlier referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics adviser, who concluded that she breached the ministerial code and ignored legal advice cautioning her about the matter.
In her resignation letter, Rayner said she took “full responsibility” for the error. Starmer expressed sadness over her departure, describing her as “a major figure” in the party whose contributions would continue to shape Labour’s future.
