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Burnham springs surprise by naming John Healey as new chancellor

The Irish Times · back to the audit

Former Greater Manchester mayor becomes UK's sixth new prime minister in a decade as Keir Starmer departs. Chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves, deputy prime minister David Lammy, business secretary Peter Kyle, housing secretary Steve Reed and science and technology secretary Liz Kendall have all been sacked or resigned from cabinet. Healey, who resigned from Starmer's government in a row over defence funding, had been mooted several weeks ago as a potential dark horse for the chancellor position. Buckingham Palace circular language: 'His majesty received in audience the Rt Hon Andrew Burnham MP and requested him to form a new administration.'