Keir Starmer is ringing the changes in the cabinet.

Keir Starmer carried out a brutal cabinet reshuffle as he tries to reassert his authority following the resignation of Angela Rayner.

The deputy prime minister quit the government after Starmer’s standards watchdog found she had broken the ministerial code by failing to pay enough stamp duty when she bought a flat earlier this year.

Rayner also stood down as housing secretary and deputy Labour leader, triggering a potentially bitter battle to succeed her.

Starmer took the opportunity to bring forward a long-planned reshuffle and carried out a series of sackings and demotions in a clear admission that his government has been a failure during its first 14 months in office.

Commons leader Lucy Powell and Scottish secretary Ian Murray were the biggest losers as they left the government entirely.

David Lammy was demoted from from foreign secretary to justice secretary, although he was given the sweetener of replacing Rayner as deputy PM.

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