John Healey appointed chancellor as Andy Burnham forms cabinet

newsJul 20, 2026462,218

Andy Burnham has appointed John Healey as chancellor and named Ed Miliband foreign secretary as he assembles his new cabinet. The King has formally approved the ministerial appointments in the July 2026 list, marking the officials' entry to government. Rachel Reeves has been removed as chancellor and David Lammy is no longer deputy prime minister as Burnham reshapes his top team. The BBC notes that Lord Vallance resigned earlier the same day as science minister; the former chief scientific adviser had secured a record research funding settlement but left amid debate over his reorganisation of UK basic science. Burnham has also placed Yvette Cooper at Health and kept Pat McFadden at Work and Pensions while finalising his cabinet lineup.

Peter Sloman

@pjsloman.bsky.social

Fair play to John Healey, who managed to time his 5.5-week break from government to coincide exactly with the World Cup

107812h ago

Hugh Brechin23

down to the day. good sign that he's got the analytical mind required imo.

simonlangton.bsky.social4

And also gave Starmer a destabilising shove then gets the gig as chancellor after his World Cup break. This needs studying.

EagleOwl3

And will now be able to give all our money to defence...

Gingers for Limpar1

Am sure this was once a comedy-drama with Neil Morrissey

ralphfarrugia.bsky.social1

He's a sweaty. Only needed two weeks.

Quoting this

Dr Nick Dickinson2

Make the most of your gardening leave, alright. You never know when you’ll get it again

Marie Le Conte

@youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com

oh so a while back I used to run these fun interviews with MPs for Parliament's in-house magazine - did one with John Healey, which I really enjoyed at the time, and you may like also: www.politicshome.com/thehouse/art...

23412h ago

Will Jennings📉🗳️17

"Running the economy is much like sailing a boat in open water, alas..."

Ian Kikuchi4

Did you have this filed under 'Clippings For When John Healey Gets Promoted And There Just Happens To Be An Odyssey Film In The Cinema'?

Gfrancie (Benevolent Siren)2

I love this kind of story.

Jessica Berlin

@berlinbridge.bsky.social

Prime Minister @andyburnham said security would be his first priority — this appointment puts the Treasury where his mouth is. John Healey leading the Exchequer sends a strong signal to Europe, Ukraine, Washington, and above all the Kremlin: Britain means business on defence.

13114h ago

[email protected]2

Given this was a surprise appointment, I'm guessing Burnham heard something in his new security briefings which scared the .. out of him.

Mark Grimshaw

@markgrimshawtism.bsky.social

Yeah, a lot of disabled people are about to lose their benefits so John Healey can wank himself to death surrounded by a pile of bombs, aren’t they.

McFadden: We'll reform welfare in a fair and sustainable way

Pat McFadden, who has been confirmed as the work and pensions secretary, says he is honoured to stay in the role.
"As the Prime Minister said, our mission as a government must be to support people into work and spread opportunity," he says on social media. "That's how we'll reform the welfare system in a way that is fair & sustainable."

9713h ago

David Genz💚🏳️‍🌈3

Deaths at home to fund deaths abroad. Sounds like a neoliberal Christmas.

Catherine Edgson2

Yup 😳 Tories like Healey according to the BBC and want to work with him to you guessed it fund the defence plan and screw over disabled people Very concerned They all like Milburn and Blair who also like cutting welfare We’re fucked

Ian St James1

So the jerk opinions have already started. Thanks to the MSM it seems facts have been supplanted by gossip & speculation with social media the choice for unsubstantiated amplification. Burnham has been in post less than a day & the empty vessels are already starting their nonsense. Give him a break!

Evyatar Pyrrhos1

You'd prefer the disabled to be murdered by Russia?

Richard Murphy

@richardjmurphy.bsky.social

John Healey: a man to perpetuate the status quo www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2026/07... Our new Chancellor is not a man to upset the economic status quo

5614h ago

Anonymous

@youranoncentral.bsky.social

Andy Burnham is the new Prime Minister of the UK, promising no change to the current position on Ukraine and will continue to support the war effort. Promises to end houselessness nationwide, and to bring about the "biggest changes in 40 years," call for national unity.

7410h ago

Anonymous25

Burnham also previously promised his first foreign stop as leader of Labour (PM) would be to visit Israel, which he's been a staunch supporter of as well. Remains to be seen.

Mark Dunscombe1

He has the establishment to fight but as a northerner will be up for it. I like Andy. Gets the working class and will fight for them. Underinvestment in old manufacturing towns has led people to the far right as desperate for change. Most are not racist just want jobs and a future for their kids.

David Osland

@davidosland.bsky.social

Appointing John Healey as chancellor sends the none-too-subtle message that weapons spending will be a top priority for the Burnham government. Reappointing Shabana Mahmood will reassure Reform voters that hardline policies on immigration will stay in place.

4813h ago

John Doran2

But they won't vote Labour. Appeasing the fascists and racists just makes them stronger.

Julia In The Dining Room (With The Candlestick)2

Reform voters won't care because Farage is their man. Facts are of no consequence

Mehdi Hasan

@mehdirhasan.bsky.social

For Zeteo UK, Shehab Khan and I discussed Andy Burnham's arrival in Downing Street today, his new cabinet picks, and the challenge that Iran and Trump and the MidEast may pose to his premiership from the get-go:

4910h ago

Balderdash

@balderdash.bsky.social

‘Jennifer, Alison, Philippa, Sue Maybe John Healey too’ Burnham picking his cabinet

4814h ago

Lamentably Awake

@lamentablyawake.bsky.social

Sure, maybe Andy Burnham is doing really right wing stuff to appease the UK media or the bond markets. But maybe he's just a right wing piece of shit?

3012h ago

Ross Mudie

@rmudie96.bsky.social

An interview with John Healey on regional economic policy that is very worth reading: sites.harvard.edu/uk-regional-...

2113h ago

Matt C1

What did more for Manchester? The north West development agency or the councils / combined authority? It's absolutely the latter isn't it? How much did those regional economies change / progress when the tide went out in 2008?

Quoting this

Dan Turner2

We spoke to John Healey as part of our Harvard-KCL project on regional growth - see what he had to say here 👇

Elizabeth Taylor

@elizabethtaylor47.bsky.social

And then… John healey? Like ok… what’s meant to be the bone for progressives hear? This is not good.

3311h ago

Adam Macqueen

@adammacqueen.bsky.social

A big thank you to lobby journalists and political pundits everywhere, we'd be completely lost without you. BBC News - www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cg... John Healey appointed chancellor as Andy Burnham picks cabinet - BBC News

3015h ago

BladeoftheSun

@bladeofthes.bsky.social

John Healey the Chancellor for War, all the money is going to be spent on bombs and everything else will be 'too expensive'.

2513h ago

BladeoftheSun13

People will cheer because apparently they don't like Hospitals or Schools or Pensions. They like dropping bombs on whichever country the USA wants us to.

OurmaninTaibach1

Well,you wouldn't want to see an arms dealer go hungry.

Patrick - Here for the craic❗️🤷🏼‍♂️😉

@paddyopatrick.bsky.social

But… but.. but MSM have been telling us for days that Shabana Mahmood was would be appointed Chancellor according to “unnamed” sources.. It’s as if they make shit up to turn us against Burnham just like they did Starmer 🤔 Hey… any word on all the new N Sea oil & gas licences they said he’d issue❓

2215h ago