UK's Starmer reshuffles top team to restore authority after Rayner blow

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer brought in a new deputy and foreign and interior ministers on Friday in a sweeping reshuffle intended to restore his authority after the resignation of his deputy, Angela Rayner.

Starmer moved foreign minister David Lammy to become deputy prime minister and replaced him with interior minister Yvette Cooper.

She was in turn replaced by justice secretary Shabana Mahmood. All are loyal, trusted hands.

After reshaping his Downing Street team last week to bolster his economic advice, a ministerial reshuffle had been expected.

Rayner's departure meant it was much deeper than widely predicted, forcing Starmer to draw a line under more than a week of distracting speculation over her tax affairs.

Starmer could do little to protect Rayner after Britain's independent adviser ruled that she had breached the ministerial code by failing to pay the correct tax.

While Lammy has been given the position of deputy prime minister, he has also been forced to hand over the much sought after role of foreign secretary and replace Mahmood at justice.

Cooper is one of Labour's most senior figures after serving former Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Her appointment will be seen as a promotion of sorts after overseeing the government's often criticised policy to tackle illegal migration.

Mahmood, 44, is also seen as a "safe pair of hands" in Labour, a no-nonsense politician who has not been scared to take bold action while running the justice system.

Loyalty is seen as vital by Starmer, who has suffered the most ministerial resignations - outside government reshuffles - of any prime minister early in their tenure in almost 50 years.

Rayner, 45, is the eighth, and the most senior, ministerial departure from Starmer's team, and the most damaging yet after the British leader offered her his full support when she was first accused of avoiding 40,000 pounds (AED 197,000) in tax on the transaction.

"I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice... I take full responsibility for this error," Rayner said in her letter to Starmer.