UK Edition
Starmer appoints two leading figures from Blair and Brown era to Government
Douglas Alexander is now a business minister and Jacqui Smith is an education minister
Sir Keir Starmer has appointed two leading figures from the Blair and Brown years to his Government.
Downing Street announced on Saturday evening that Douglas Alexander is now a business minister and Jacqui Smith is an education minister.
Both were prominent in the cabinets of Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown but have been out of politics for a number of years until now.
It emerged on Saturday that Labour is also set to bring back Sir Tony’s health secretary Alan Milburn to help reform the NHS, in a sign that the private sector and consumer choice will be at the heart of their plans.
Other new ministerial appointments include Ellie Reeves, the sister of Chancellor Rachel Reeves, as a Cabinet minister, Dan Jarvis as a Home Office minister, as well as Jim McMahon and Matthew Pennycook as housing ministers. All four held positions in Sir Keir’s shadow cabinet.
Mr Alexander was the MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South from 1997 until 2015. He has been out of politics since then but was re-elected this week as the MP for Lothian East.
He served in a number of Cabinet roles under Sir Tony, including chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, transport secretary and Scotland secretary. He went on to become international development secretary under Mr Brown.
Meanwhile, Ms Smith, who lost her seat in 2010, is now returning to government as a peer. She held a number of ministerial posts under Sir Tony, including in the education and health departments. She went on to serve as Sir Tony’s chief whip and then as home secretary under Mr Brown.
Mr Milburn, whose exact role is yet to be decided, was one of the major reforming figures of the Blair years and instigated far-reaching changes in the NHS.
During his time as health secretary from 1999 to 2003, Mr Milburn, who was seen as an ally of Sir Tony against Gordon Brown, introduced greater consumer choice for patients and a more prominent role for the private sector within the health service.
It is understood that he has already been advising Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, and his team in recent weeks to ensure they can “hit the ground running”.