Reeves and Rayner step out of shadows to take top jobs

Starmer picks first female chancellor as he rewards old team

- DAVID MADDOX, KATE DEVLIN

Sir Keir Starmer made Rachel Reeves Britain's first female chancellor yesterday as he appointed his new cabinet to get on with the job quickly.

It was one of the easiest appointments for the new prime minister. Ms Reeves played a major role in the election campaign, and, as a former Bank of England economist, has helped restore economic credibility to Labour from the wreckage of the Jeremy Corbyn years.

She is the first woman to hold the second most important role in government in the 708 years since the office of chancellor of the Exchequer was established.

Earlier, Angela Rayner had been handed her own department as secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, taking over from Michael Gove. There had been questions about whether she might be given a roving role, but she had shadowed Mr Gove with some success and had hankered after a department.

Ms Rayner will also be deputy prime minister - she is only the second woman to hold that position, after Therese Coffey in Liz Truss's 49-day government.

Just 24 hours before Britain went to the polls, Sir Keir was still coy about who would get the top jobs, and refused in interviews to guarantee anyone a post. This was partly to avoid the situation that befell Neil Kinnock, who came unstuck in 1992 when he introduced his new cabinet at an infamous rally in Sheffield only to lose the election.