After his appearance on the Today programme, the prime minister's new chief secretary Darren Jones defends Keir Starmer's cabinet reshuffle.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Jones denies that Yvette Cooper was moved from the Home Office to become foreign secretary because she was not tackling the number of people coming to the UK on small boats effectively.

Instead, Jones says Cooper has made "really significant progress" by negotiating a returns deal with France and says her "diplomatic skills" is one of the reasons she's been given the foreign office brief.

Discussing Shabana Mahmood's appointment at the Home Office, Jones says she "really got a grip of the prisons crisis" as justice secretary.

"Shabana was able to grip that really difficult issue, to fix it and to get the reforms in," he says. "We know that she's now going to apply that reforming zeal to tackling issues on, for example, small boats."

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The prime minister's new chief secretary says Angela Rayner's resignation as deputy prime minister and the following cabinet reshuffle are not signs of chaos in government.

Speaking on the BBC's Today programme, Darren Jones says Keir Starmer had been "planning a broader reshuffle on a slower timetable, but he brought that forward because that is his decisive decision as prime minister".

As a reminder, the Labour leader's plans for a "phase two" of government - which he announced earlier this week - were disrupted days later by Angela Rayner's resignation.

Jones rejects claims of chaos in government, saying Starmer's response to the findings from the ethics adviser and the subsequent cabinet reshuffle exhibited "leadership and control, not chaos".

"His commitment to the ministerial code has been proven by his actions," Jones says, adding that Rayner had resigned soon after Starmer received the independent ethics adviser's report.

Challenged on whether Starmer is too weak to sack ministers - after the cabinet reshuffle on Friday largely saw familiar faces swapping roles - Jones insists there are "new people" at the table, citing new Defra secretary Emma Reynolds as an example.

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• Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch says Starmer was "too weak" to fire Rayner sooner. "Phase two of Starmer's government didn't even last three days," she says
• Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey minimised the importance of the reshuffle. "Until Keir Starmer is ready to grab the bull by the horns and confront the problems our country really faces," he says, "it makes little difference who sits where around the cabinet table"

• Reform UK leader Nigel Farage took advantage of the timing of Rayner's resignation, moving forward his keynote speech at the party's conference in Birmingham. "This government is deep in crisis," he said

• Green Party leader Zack Polanski told the i Paper it was right for Rayner to resign but called for the same scrutiny to be applied to Nigel Farage

The government has made some "considerable missteps" and it must acknowledge this, Labour MP Andy McDonald says.

McDonald says the new cabinet needs to re-focus on serious issues without being drawn into solely responding to the threat posed to Labour from Reform UK.

People are not "looking at a Labour government thinking this is a government that is delivering for them," he tells Radio 4's Today programme.

"[The public] want to see that improvement in their material living conditions," he adds. "There's been some considerable missteps, and we've got to acknowledge that."

Labour peer Charlie Falconer agrees Starmer's reshuffle is not just about filling the vacancy left by Angela Rayner, but about giving the government an "electric shock".

Falconer says the move reflects Keir Starmer's understanding that the government needs to create urgent change.

"If we haven't got a sense of direction that connects quite quickly, then we are in problems," he tells Today.

"You need to give an electric shock to the government and signal to the public there has to be change."

Chris Mason
Political editor

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For all the human drama - the resignation, the sackings, the promotions, the phone calls asking startled ministers to put on some smart clothes and dash to London for a new job - the real test of this reshuffle will come down to two things: definition and delivery.

Does the government get better at defining what it’s all about? A limitation that, up to now, even senior figures acknowledge. And then, ultimately, is it seen to deliver?

For instance, it is hoped by insiders that the promotion of Shabana Mahmood – on the Right of the Labour party – will bring an unflinching instinct to the issue of small boats and irregular migration.

Others talk of the importance of an inner so-called ‘kitchen cabinet’ of figures the prime minister feels very comfortable with - Darren Jones his chief secretary and his new deputy David Lammy among them.

But, while a recasting of the government had been discussed internally for some time, the timing and scale of this was driven by the crisis that engulfed the now former deputy prime minister. And a growing awareness of the urgency of sharpening the sense of what they’re all about and delivering tangible results.

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Angela Rayner's resignation prompted a major reshuffle of the prime minister's cabinet. Let's take a look at the key changes:

• David Lammy has moved from his post as foreign secretary to replace Angela Rayner as deputy prime minister. He has also been appointed justice secretary
• Taking Lammy's place at the top of the foreign office is Yvette Cooper, who was previously the home secretary
• Filling Cooper's old job as home secretary is Shabana Mahmood, who was previously justice secretary
• Replacing Rayner in her other former role is Steve Reed - the new housing secretary. He was previously environment secretary. That job now goes to Emma Reynolds
• Moving into the Cabinet is Pat McFadden, who is taking up a new role as pensions secretary. His predecessor, Liz Kendall, is now science secretary
• Jonathan Reynolds, the former business secretary, is now chief whip – a job that involves keeping up party discipline. His old job has gone to Peter Kyle

Others, like Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, Defence Secretary John Healey and Health Secretary Wes Streeting remain in their current roles.

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In her resignation letter to the prime minister, Angela Rayner said she regretted her decision "to not seek additional specialist tax advice" given her position as housing secretary and her "complex family arrangements".

"I take full responsibility for this error," she continued. "I would like to take this opportunity to repeat that it was never my intention to do anything other than pay the right amount."

Due to complex arrangements surrounding a trust for her disabled son, the Hove flat should have been considered to be Rayner's second home - meaning she should have paid an additional £40,000 in stamp duty.

Rayner said the findings of an independent ethics report that she had breached the ministerial code, as well as the impact of media pressure on her family, had led her to the decision to resign.

You can read her resignation letter in full here.

Image source, House of Commons

Image source, Reuters

Scrutiny that had been building for a fortnight over Angela Rayner’s tax affairs came to a head this week, with the former housing secretary and deputy prime minister admitting on Wednesday that she had underpaid stamp duty when buying an £800,000 flat in Hove.

Following the admission, Rayner said she had contacted HMRC to work out the tax she needed to pay and had referred herself for investigation by the prime minister's standards adviser.

While Keir Starmer had stood by Rayner earlier in the week, on Thursday he refused to say if he would sack her if she was found to have broken the ministerial code.

By lunchtime on Friday, the findings of an ethics report had been published. The PM's ethics adviser found that, although Rayner had “acted with integrity”, the ministerial code had been breached.

In her resignation letter to the prime minister, Rayner said she did not intend to pay the wrong amount of stamp duty but took “full responsibility” for the error.

The resignation prompted the PM to carry out a major reshuffle of his top team. David Lammy was appointed the new deputy prime minister, Yvette Cooper became foreign secretary, and Shabana Mahmood is the new home secretary.

The resignation of Angela Rayner is the main story on the front pages of all the major newspapers this morning.

The Daily Mail calls it a "Nightmare on Downing Street", external, with Labour in "meltdown". It calls the reshuffle "chaotic" and "desperate". Meanwhile, The Guardian says Keir Starmer is "battling to get a grip" , externalon a crisis.

The Times calls it "The Great Rayner Reshuffle", , externaland thinks it reflects deep concern about the government's collapse in the polls.

Reform's Nigel Farage is the focus for the Daily Express. It leads with his warning that Labour are "not fit to govern", external.

Meanwhile, the Financial Times calls the reshuffle a "big gamble", external, because many ministers have simply been moved to new jobs rather than been sacked.

The Daily Mirror describes the loss of Rayner as a "serious blow", external for the prime minister, while The Sun says she was "cut adrift", external. The Daily Telegraph says Downing Street hopes the reshaped top team can counter the threat from Reform, external UK.

Image source, Reuters

After a summer break, yesterday marked the end of MPs' first week back at Westminster. But it wasn’t the week that Prime Minister Keir Starmer, or his former deputy Angela Rayner, wanted.

An ethics report triggered Rayner’s resignation early in the afternoon, after she admitted one day earlier to underpaying tax on a property.

Starmer responded with a major reshuffle that saw many ministers switch portfolios, but few new faces arrive at the cabinet table.

Former foreign secretary David Lammy was appointed deputy prime minister and justice secretary, with Yvette Cooper replacing him at the Foreign Office and Shabana Mahmood replacing Yvette Cooper as home secretary – thus vacating her former justice secretary post that David Lammy now holds.

Still lost? You can find a full breakdown of who moved where in Starmer's reshuffle here.

Faced with an almighty mess, the prime minister hurriedly sought to seize the moment, writes our political editor Chris Mason. He will be hoping the reshuffle re-energises his government, which faces dwindling poll numbers after a shaky first year in office.

Today is the first day of the post-Rayner, post-reshuffle world in Downing Street. Stay with us this morning for more reaction, analysis and updates.

Faced with an almighty mess PM opts for big shake-uppublished at 22:08 BST 5 September

22:08 BST 5 September

Chris Mason
Political editor

Image source, Reuters

This reshuffle amounts to the action of a prime minister confronted by an almighty mess - and hurriedly seeking to seize that moment for his own and his government's ends.

This is about as big a reshuffle as you could imagine, short of replacing the chancellor of the exchequer.

Earlier, Downing Street made clear Rachel Reeves wasn't going - a move to calm the markets - but it hinted at the breadth and depth of the reshuffle to come.

"Wide ranging" was how it was described to me by a government insider at lunchtime.

Drip by drip, appointments were fed out through the afternoon.

By teatime, it had met the definition of that word.

It culminated in new occupiers of two of the big offices of state: a new home secretary and a new foreign secretary.

It marks for the first time, three big offices of state below prime minister - home secretary, foreign secretary and chancellor - all occupied by women.

Angela Rayner is a big political character, a huge personality in Westminster.

The prime minister could have simply found a replacement for her as deputy prime minister and housing secretary, but instead, he has recast his government in a far bigger way.

From the prime minister's perspective, a political battle looms - with him concluding going big was the best option.

Read more of Chris Mason's take here.

Amy Walker
Live reporter

Image source, EPA

A week of mounting scrutiny over Angela Rayner failing to pay enough tax on her £800,000 flat culminated in her resigning from the cabinet and as the deputy leader of the Labour Party.

It came after an ethics report found that though the former deputy prime minister and housing secretary had "acted with integrity", she had broken the ministerial code.

Rayner said she takes "full responsibility" for not seeking additional specialist tax advice, and added that she had not intended to "do anything other than pay the right amount" (which would have been £40,000 more in stamp duty).

In his response to Rayner, the PM said he was "very sad" her time in the cabinet had ended this way, which he acknowledged would have been "very painful" for her.

With two cabinet roles to fill, Starmer then took the opportunity for a massive shake-up on Friday afternoon, which included:

• Scottish Secretary Ian Murray and Lucy Powell, the leader of the House of Commons, getting sacked
• Two of the most important cabinet roles now have new appointees, with Yvette Cooper now foreign secretary and Shabana Mahmood taking on the post of home secretary
• David Lammy has replaced Rayner as deputy prime minister, while a handful of other ministers have switched jobs

Starmer's opponents have since seized on the reshuffle, with Nigel Farage telling Reform UK members at the annual conference that this shows the government is "deep in crisis", while Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the PM was "shuffling deckchairs around on his sinking government".

We're soon going to be ending our live coverage for the day, but we'll be checking back in with political editor Chris Mason one last time to get a lay of the land before doing so - stick with us.

Throughout the day, we've been seeing pictures of new appointees making their way in and out of No 10 after receiving confirmation of their posts.

Here, the new business secretary, Peter Kyle, shares a smiling moment with cameras before making his way inside.

Image source, Reuters

We also saw the new chief secretary to the PM, Darren Jones, arrive earlier in the day. Jones was given his new post on Monday.

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Yvette Cooper, newly appointed to take over the foreign brief, beamed ear-to-ear as she left Downing Street this afternoon.

Image source, Reuters

And the new Home Secretary Shabhana Mahmood seemed just as smiley as her colleagues when she left No 10 following today's major reshuffle.

Image source, Reuters

A resignation and a reshuffle - here's what our correspondents are sayingpublished at 21:02 BST 5 September

21:02 BST 5 September

Parliament returned from the summer recess on Monday, with an optimistic Keir Starmer promising “phase two” of his Labour government after more than a year in power.

But his planned relaunch with a focus on “delivery” was overshadowed almost immediately by revelations about his deputy’s tax returns.

Now, after Rayner’s resignation and amid a major reshuffle, our correspondents have been sharing their analysis of a hugely eventful week in British politics.

• Rayner had no choice but to leave government, writes chief political correspondent Henry Zeffman, but he argues that Starmer has also tried to turn a moment of weakness into a moment of strength
• Politics editor Chris Mason adds that the PM really, really didn’t need this today - on what has turned out to be a desperately difficult week for his government
• With Yvette Cooper's move to foreign secretary, our diplomatic correspondent James Landale points out how the merry-go-round at the top of British diplomacy is likely to dismay allies who have long complained about the ever-changing stream of foreign ministers
• Shabana Mahmood is replacing Cooper as home secretary, a post that government insiders tell senior UK correspondent Sima Kotecha is fitting for her smiley yet authoritative and assertive approach
• And there is also discontent in Scottish Labour over Ian Murray’s removal as Scotland secretary, notes political correspondent Phil Sims, who says his sacking came as a real surprise

Starmer knows he must be seen to be delivering - and fastpublished at 20:38 BST 5 September

20:38 BST 5 September

Chris Mason
Political editor

Image source, Getty Images

These are the actions of a prime minister confronted by an almighty mess and hurriedly seeking to seize that moment for his own and his government’s ends.

This is about as big a reshuffle as you could imagine, short of replacing the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Keir Starmer appears determined people notice what he calls "phase two" of his government, with an intended focus on "delivery", even if the genesis of this headline-grabbing shake up was the personal foul-up of his former deputy.

Recasting a government is an exercise in authority and jeopardy – and that’s just for the prime minister. For the individuals involved, ambitions met or punctured, the overlooked, demoted or sacked almost always outnumbering the elevated, smiling and promoted.

Hence that jeopardy for No 10.

Get them right and a reshuffle on this scale can be noticed – and re-energise a government. Get them wrong, or do them too often, and a government’s progress can become jolty and piecemeal and the backbench battalion of the disgruntled grows larger.

After a shaky first year in office, buffeted by shrivelling approval ratings and a buoyant Reform UK, Starmer has concluded going big was the best option.

He knows he needs to be seen to be delivering and quickly; he has to hope this new team can do it.

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier today - and several moves ago - we brought you the news that Ian Murray will no longer be secretary of state for Scotland.

Douglas Alexander, Murray's replacement, has since provided some fresh reaction to his appointment - calling it a "real honour".

It marks a return for the MP for East Lothian, who had a brief stint as Scottish secretary of state from 2006-2007 during the premiership of Tony Blair.

"There's a huge amount to be done," he says, adding that he is "looking forward to making sure that Scotland continues to be at the very centre of the government's work".

A major reshuffle following Angela Rayner's departure earlier means two of the most senior positions in the cabinet have changed hands.

Yvette Cooper is now the foreign secretary, Shabana Mahmood is the new home secretary and David Lammy is now the deputy prime minister and justice secretary.

Below is a handy visual guide to who's who in Starmer's cabinet.

Our interactive guide has more info on each MP.

Mahmood is no stranger to unpopular decisionspublished at 19:36 BST 5 September

19:36 BST 5 September

Sima Kotecha
Senior UK correspondent

Image source, PA Media

Shabana Mahmood released thousands of prisoners early to create more space in overcrowded jails.

It might have been an unpopular decision with those tough on crime, but it obviously wasn’t with the prime minister because he’s just rewarded her with a major promotion to home secretary.

Insiders in government view her as a tough operator - smiley yet authoritative and assertive.

She knows she has a mountain to climb with stopping the boats, but as one ministry of justice source told me, if anyone can do it, Shabana can.

She leaves just as the sentencing bill has been introduced to Parliament, with the focus on more community sentencing as prisons start to fill up again. And she leaves the department before the job is done - and some will ask whether it’s possible to make a fair assessment of her work so far, without seeing what happens once the bill has been delivered.

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Prior to today's reshuffle, Shabana Mahmood had been the justice secretary - a role she took up after last year's election.

She has represented Birmingham Ladywood as an MP since 2010 and also previously held a number of roles in the shadow cabinet, including shadow chief secretary to the Treasury and shadow justice secretary.

Mahmood was born and brought up in Birmingham - attending a local school as a child.

Her time as justice secretary has seen her confronted with prison overcrowding and record court backlogs.

In her previous role, she had also spoken out on immigration and asylum issues, arguing that human rights law should not prevent foreign criminals from being deported.

Our political reporter Jennifer McKiernan writes that Mahmood's appointment is a signal that the government sees dealing with illegal immigration and asylum as one of its biggest priorities.

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Kemi Badenoch, who earlier offered swift reaction to Angela Rayner's resignation, has now chimed in on the reshuffle that has taken place in the hours since then.

She starts by calling the government's "phase two" - a phrase Downing Street coined on Monday after a mini shake-up saw Darren Jones appointed to a key No 10 role - a short-lived one.

"He was too weak to fire the Deputy Prime Minister, even after he was told she broke the Ministerial Code, and now he's shuffling deckchairs around on his sinking government."

She adds that Labour is "now engaged in a civil war for its deputy leadership", which will become an "enormous distraction from the problems facing Britain".