Title

GENERAL ELECTION

Rayner named levelling up secretary

Angela Rayner has been named secretary of state for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

© Number 10/Crown copyright

© Number 10/Crown copyright

Angela Rayner has been named secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities.

Hers was the first appointment to be confirmed by the new Labour Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer as he began forming his first cabinet following yesterday's landslide General Election victory.

Rayner, who will also hold the title of deputy prime minister, was widely expected to be appointed to the position in government having held the shadow role on the opposition benches.

She takes over from her Conservative counterpart Michael Gove, who decided not to stand for re-election.

Rachel Reeves has also been appointed as the country's first female chancellor and Yvette Cooper as home secretary.

Wes Streeting will take on the health and social care brief, and Bridget Phillipson has been named education secretary.

GENERAL ELECTION

Driving devolution

By Heather Jameson | 03 September 2026

Prime Minister Andy Burnham may have set up No10 North as the engine room for devolution and is firmly in the driving seat, but who will be the engineers? He...

GENERAL ELECTION

Quango conundrum

By Ann McGauran | 27 August 2026

Rewiring the State promises a serious look at whether arm’s-length bodies’ powers and funding should be handed to local leaders or returned to ministerial d...

GENERAL ELECTION

Government announces £10bn to kickstart council housebuilding drive

By William Eichler | 25 August 2026

Local authority leaders have welcomed the first wave of funding from the Government's £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme as a ‘positive step’ but wa...

GENERAL ELECTION

Civil servants seconded to all mayoral authorities

By Martin Ford | 21 August 2026

Civil servants are to be seconded to every mayoral authority in the country, the Government has announced.

Martin Ford

Popular articles by Martin Ford