UK government undergoes strategic realignment in key ministries

In a sweeping reshuffle of UK top government posts, David Lammy, Yvette Cooper, and Shabana Mahmood have been reassigned to new cabinet roles, marking a significant reconfiguration of the senior ministerial team.

According to well-placed sources, David Lammy will assume the dual role of Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister, moving from his previous position as Foreign Secretary. Yvette Cooper, who has been serving as Home Secretary, will transition to the Foreign Secretary portfolio. Meanwhile, Shabana Mahmood will take over as Home Secretary, a clear elevation to one of the government’s most high-profile and demanding roles, Sky News reports.

The reshuffle, while signalling a strategic recalibration, also carries political undercurrents. Lammy’s move is particularly striking: the Prime Minister had reportedly assured him of a five-year tenure as Foreign Secretary as recently as November. His reassignment, though partially offset by his appointment as Deputy Prime Minister, may be interpreted as a demotion in substance.

Similarly, Cooper’s departure from the Home Office — where she had made tackling illegal migration and "stopping the boats" a core policy objective — will be viewed as a setback, particularly as she is moved from one of the most politically sensitive domestic portfolios to a role in foreign affairs. She becomes the seventh Foreign Secretary of the 2020s, underscoring the rapid turnover at the Foreign Office in recent years.

Conversely, Mahmood’s promotion to the Home Office represents a significant rise in influence. Having previously served as Justice Secretary, she now steps into a role that is often seen as a litmus test of political strength and leadership capability. Her appointment will likely be welcomed as a sign of the government’s confidence in her performance and political acumen.

This reshuffle also results in a historic milestone: for the first time ever, the three most senior ministerial roles in the UK government are all held by women — a symbolic and substantive shift in the gender balance of power at the highest levels of British politics.

Mahmood becomes the sixth Home Secretary of the 2020s, Lammy the sixth Justice Secretary, and Cooper the seventh Foreign Secretary, reflecting the high turnover in these key offices amid shifting political priorities and internal party dynamics.

By Vafa Guliyeva