Rayner, Healey and Miliband handed senior roles as Reeves, Lammy and Stevens leave government

PRIME MINISTER Andy Burnham has announced a further wave of Cabinet appointments, bringing Angela Rayner back into government and handing senior roles to Lucy Powell, Jonathan Reynolds and close political ally Anneliese Midgley.

The latest announcements confirm that Burnham is carrying out a significant restructuring of Sir Keir Starmer’s former administration rather than simply moving a handful of ministers between departments.

Rayner has returned as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the position she left last year. The department will also oversee Burnham’s plans to transfer greater powers away from Westminster and into the nations, regions and local government.

Lucy Powell, Labour’s deputy leader, has been appointed Education Secretary, replacing Bridget Phillipson.

Phillipson will remain in government as Minister for Women and Equalities, although the move represents a substantial reduction in her responsibilities.

Jonathan Reynolds has returned to his former position as Business and Trade Secretary after serving as Chief Whip under Starmer.

His department is being expanded to take responsibility for science and innovation and will be renamed the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.

Anneliese Midgley, who played a central role in Burnham’s return to Parliament and leadership campaign, has been appointed Chief Whip.

The appointments follow the earlier confirmation that former Defence Secretary John Healey will become Chancellor.

Healey’s selection was considered a surprise after Ed Miliband and Shabana Mahmood had both been strongly linked to the Treasury. He replaces Rachel Reeves, who left the government after reportedly turning down another senior Cabinet role.

Miliband has instead been appointed Foreign Secretary, replacing Yvette Cooper, while Mahmood remains Home Secretary.

Cooper has moved to the Department of Health and Social Care, where she replaces James Murray. Burnham has made reform of adult social care one of the central missions of his government.

Pat McFadden will continue as Work and Pensions Secretary, providing one of the clearest elements of continuity with the previous administration.

Louise Haigh has been handed one of the most powerful positions in the new government. She becomes First Secretary of State, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the senior Cabinet Office minister.

Although she has not formally been given the title of Deputy Prime Minister, the appointment makes Haigh Burnham’s principal coordinator across government and effectively his deputy at the Cabinet table.

Who has left?

The reshuffle has seen several figures closely associated with Starmer removed from government.

Rachel Reeves has departed as Chancellor, while David Lammy has left his positions as Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary.

Darren Jones, who served as Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, has also been removed, alongside former Housing Secretary Steve Reed and Business Secretary Peter Kyle.

Attorney General Lord Richard Hermer, Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall, Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens and Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn have also confirmed their departures.

James Murray has been replaced as Health Secretary, although it remains unclear whether he will be offered another government position.

Wales still waiting

No replacement has yet been announced for Jo Stevens as Secretary of State for Wales.

The vacancy is particularly significant because Burnham has promised a major programme of constitutional change and greater devolution of powers from Westminster.

The identity of the new Welsh Secretary will provide an early indication of how prominently Wales will feature within the new Prime Minister’s plans.

Several further senior appointments remain outstanding, including the posts of Defence Secretary, Justice Secretary, Northern Ireland Secretary and Welsh Secretary.

Wes Streeting, Lisa Nandy, Heidi Alexander, Miatta Fahnbulleh, Angela Eagle and a number of other Labour figures have entered Downing Street, but their positions had not been formally confirmed at the time of publication.

Burnham took office on Monday after being formally appointed by the King, promising what he described as a “circuit breaker” moment for Britain.

His government is expected to announce its first package of cost-of-living measures on Tuesday, with proposals involving energy bills and bus fares among the policies being considered.

Magistrates said Edward Roxborough lost his temper during an unprovoked attack on a vulnerable youngster

A PEMBROKESHIRE man has been handed a suspended prison sentence after admitting assaulting a child in Narberth.

Edward Roxborough, aged 32, of Mynachlog-ddu, near Clunderwen, appeared before Swansea Magistrates’ Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to assault by beating.

The court heard that the offence took place last year and involved what magistrates described as an “unprovoked attack of a serious nature”.

Magistrates said Roxborough had reacted angrily and lost his temper against a defenceless and vulnerable child, who cried out in pain following the assault.

The offence was considered serious enough to cross the custody threshold.

Roxborough was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months.

The court said the sentence had been suspended in light of recent legislative changes and the presumption in favour of suspending short custodial terms.

He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and up to 20 rehabilitation activity days.

Roxborough must pay £400 in prosecution costs and a victim surcharge of £154.

A collection order was made, with the full amount due by August 27.

No compensation order was imposed, with magistrates noting that compensation could be pursued through other channels.

The prosecution was conducted by Adam Burcher, while Chris Evans represented Roxborough.

Reporting restrictions were imposed under Section 45 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, preventing the child from being identified.

Cardiff East MP repeatedly visited Pembrokeshire to champion clean energy jobs, but her successor inherits unresolved questions over Milford Haven’s share of the Celtic Sea boom

JO STEVENS is out as Secretary of State for Wales after new Prime Minister Andy Burnham chose not to retain her in his first Cabinet.

The Cardiff East MP confirmed on Monday (Jul 20) that she would no longer serve as Welsh Secretary, bringing her two-year tenure at the Wales Office to an end.

Her departure has particular significance for Pembrokeshire, where she became one of the UK Government’s most prominent advocates for floating offshore wind, the Celtic Freeport and the transition from oil and gas towards cleaner forms of energy.

Ms Stevens made repeated visits to Milford Haven and Pembroke Dock, met apprentices and major employers and spoke directly to The Pembrokeshire Herald about the prospect of skilled jobs being created in West Wales.

Some tangible investment followed those visits. However, many of the biggest employment figures attached to the green energy transition remain forecasts rather than jobs already created.

Her successor will inherit the task of proving that Pembrokeshire will receive a substantial and lasting share of the promised economic benefits.

Departure despite backing Burnham

The decision is particularly notable because Ms Stevens publicly backed Mr Burnham during the Labour leadership contest.

She said in June that he had the experience, values and political reach required to become Prime Minister.

Her departure therefore appears to be part of Mr Burnham’s wider effort to create a new Cabinet and establish a clear break with the previous administration, rather than the result of hostility between the two politicians.

Ms Stevens is among a number of senior figures from Sir Keir Starmer’s government who have left Cabinet as Mr Burnham builds his new administration.

At the time of publication, her replacement as Secretary of State for Wales had not been announced.

Early visit to Milford Haven

Ms Stevens began building links with Pembrokeshire before Labour entered government.

As Shadow Welsh Secretary, she visited the Port of Milford Haven with Henry Tufnell in early 2024 to discuss the port’s operations, its development plans and the barriers facing further investment.

Following the visit, Labour identified ports including Milford Haven as potential beneficiaries of its proposed investment in floating offshore wind and domestic renewable-energy manufacturing.

The promise was significant for Pembrokeshire, which has lost thousands of well-paid industrial jobs following the closure of several major oil refineries.

Labour argued that investment in ports, offshore wind and associated manufacturing could create a new generation of skilled employment.

Pembroke Dock Marine opening

After Labour’s general election victory and her appointment as Welsh Secretary in July 2024, Ms Stevens returned to the county for the official opening of the £60 million Pembroke Dock Marine redevelopment.

She attended alongside then Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and former First Minister Eluned Morgan.

The development included a new slipway, enlarged workboat pontoons, upgraded quayside facilities and infrastructure intended to support marine renewable-energy projects.

It was forecast that the wider development could support up to 1,800 jobs.

The project was funded and developed over several years through the Swansea Bay City Deal and other partners. It would therefore be misleading to describe it as an achievement delivered solely during Ms Stevens’ tenure.

However, she used its opening to reinforce the new UK Government’s commitment to Pembrokeshire’s energy sector and helped place the county prominently within Labour’s industrial message.

Ledwood and Dragon LNG visits

Ms Stevens returned in January 2025 to confirm Pembrokeshire’s inclusion in a clean-energy skills pilot.

During the visit, she met workers and apprentices at Ledwood Mechanical Engineering in Pembroke Dock and representatives from Dragon LNG.

The initiative was intended to help existing workers transfer their skills into sectors including offshore wind, hydrogen and other low-carbon industries.

Speaking to The Herald, Ms Stevens described the pilot as an important step towards creating the workforce required for clean-energy expansion in the Celtic Sea.

She later said she wanted more young people to be able to remain in West Wales and build careers in the emerging industries being attracted to the area.

Those visits gave the county political visibility and helped bring employers, training providers and government representatives together.

The longer-term test, however, is whether the training leads to substantial numbers of permanent jobs based in Pembrokeshire.

Investment beginning to arrive

There have been concrete developments during Ms Stevens’ time in office.

Ledwood Engineering was among the Pembrokeshire businesses selected to benefit from a £13 million offshore wind supply-chain funding programme backed by The Crown Estate.

Work has also progressed on a proposed £50 million hydrogen production facility at the former refinery site now operated as the Impala Terminal in Milford Haven.

The hydrogen scheme is expected to create around 60 jobs during construction and approximately ten permanent positions once operational.

Floating wind projects in the Celtic Sea have also moved forward through seabed leasing, government support and preparatory investment.

These developments show that the clean-energy programme is more than a political slogan.

Nevertheless, the number of permanent jobs confirmed so far remains considerably below the thousands repeatedly discussed in speeches and government announcements.

The Freeport question

Ms Stevens also strongly supported the Celtic Freeport, which links Milford Haven and Port Talbot.

The project was backed with £26 million of government funding and designed to attract investment through tax incentives, customs arrangements and simplified planning.

Ministers said the Freeport could help generate thousands of jobs and attract major private investment into South and West Wales.

However, The Herald has repeatedly raised questions about how those benefits will be divided between the two ports.

Port Talbot has secured up to £64 million to develop a specialist floating offshore wind hub and has been described as a cornerstone of the emerging industry.

Its proposed role in turbine assembly and large-scale port infrastructure has been set out in considerable detail.

Milford Haven’s role in operations, maintenance, engineering, fuel production and marine support remains important, but the eventual scale of the work and number of local jobs have been less clearly defined.

That does not mean Pembrokeshire has been excluded from the opportunity.

It does mean that the incoming Welsh Secretary must provide greater clarity about what work will be based locally, when it will begin and how many permanent jobs it will create.

Stevens defends her record

In announcing her departure, Ms Stevens said serving as Welsh Secretary had been a privilege and an honour.

She said her priorities had included attracting investment, creating jobs and giving Welsh communities greater control over their futures.

Ms Stevens highlighted what she described as the largest Welsh public-services settlement since devolution, support for the steel industry, investment in nuclear power at Wylfa and a long-term commitment to Welsh rail infrastructure.

She also pointed to local-growth funding and cooperation between the UK and Welsh governments.

Those are substantial claims and form an important part of any fair assessment of her tenure.

Critics will argue that several major commitments, particularly on rail funding and green employment, have yet to produce all the results promised.

Supporters will point out that large infrastructure and energy projects take years to develop and that many of the schemes promoted during her time in office are still at an early stage.

Pembrokeshire promises now pass to successor

Jo Stevens leaves the Wales Office having made Pembrokeshire a regular feature of the UK Government’s clean-energy narrative.

She visited the county, met local businesses and apprentices and repeatedly argued that West Wales should benefit from the transition towards floating wind, hydrogen and renewable energy.

Her record should not be dismissed simply because every promised job has not yet materialised.

Equally, announcements, visits and projected employment figures cannot be treated as completed delivery.

The fairest conclusion is that Ms Stevens helped advance Pembrokeshire’s case and supported several important projects, but leaves before the full economic outcome is known.

Her successor must now turn broad ambitions into named contracts, firm investment decisions and permanent, well-paid employment.

For Andy Burnham’s new government, the question is not only whether it will retain the promises made to Pembrokeshire.

It is whether local communities will finally see those promises translated into jobs.