UK's new prime minister gathers his Cabinet after sweeping away Starmer supporters

By — Jill Lawless, Associated Press Jill Lawless, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/uks-new-prime-minister-gathers-his-cabinet-after-sweeping-away-starmer-supporters Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter UK's new prime minister gathers his Cabinet after sweeping away Starmer supporters World Jul 21, 2026 6:15 PM EDT LONDON (AP) — New U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham gathered his Cabinet for its first meeting on Tuesday and vowed to take a "one-team approach" despite purging allies of predecessor Keir Starmer from the government. WATCH: Andy Burnham says politicians 'need to be better' in first speech as UK's new prime minister Burnham told his top team that he would lead a "cost-of-living government" focused on easing the economic burden felt by millions of people. "We need to think every day, what can we do just to take that little bit of pressure off people's shoulders, to give them that little extra sense that help is coming, so they can have that bit of hope that things are getting better," Burnham said. He made a small down payment on that pledge by announcing a tax cut on domestic electricity bills that will save the average household about 45 pounds ($60) a year. The cut will take effect Oct. 1, Burnham said, with the funding coming from scrapping a plan for digital ID cards announced by Starmer. The former mayor of Greater Manchester entered Downing Street on Monday after replacing Starmer as leader of the governing Labour Party, becoming Britain's seventh prime minister since 2016. Starmer resigned just two years after winning a landslide election victory, forced out by his party after missteps and U-turns. In his first speech as prime minister, Burnham pledged to ease the cost of living, decentralize political power, revitalize industry and end street sleeping by homeless people — a tall order, especially given Britain's sluggish economic growth in recent years. Burnham acknowledged at the Cabinet meeting that the government would have to make difficult financial decisions and "take a really hard look at what our priorities are." Starmer loyalists removed from office After taking office Monday, Burnham set about remaking the government. Starmer's finance minister, Rachel Reeves, was ousted, replaced by John Healey, a former defense secretary who resigned in June and accused the Treasury of failing to spend enough on the military at a time of rising threats. In an interview after he quit, Healey called the Treasury "a dead hand on dynamic government" and "in denial." Healey has said defense spending, due to be 2.6% of GDP next year, should rise to 3% by 2030. Now he will have to find the money. Wes Streeting, whose resignation as health secretary in May helped topple Starmer, took over the defense portfolio. Other key Cabinet appointees include Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner and Business Secretary Jonathan Re