The new British government announced today, Friday (5/7), that former Bank of England economist Rachel Reeves, 45 years old, will be the first woman to head the UK’s Ministry of Economy. She was appointed after the Labour Party’s landslide victory in the British elections.
The appointment was confirmed in a statement from the new government, when Reeves arrived at No. 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the British Prime Minister, which is occupied by the leader of the Labour Party, Keir Starmer, from Friday.
New Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Early in the morning, King Charles III announced the appointment of the new Prime Minister, Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, following the party’s legislative victory.
Accompanied by his wife Victoria, the 61-year-old former human rights lawyer, who entered politics just nine years ago, was given a reception for about half an hour at Buckingham Palace.
In his first speech in office, Starmer promised to “rebuild” the country. “The work of change starts immediately. But we have no doubt that we will rebuild Britain,” he added.
In addition to appointing Rachel Reeves, the prime minister appointed David Lammy, a lawyer and descendant of Guyanese slaves, as head of diplomacy.
However, without knowing the MPs of two constituencies, Labour won 412 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons and 33.7% of the vote, well above the 326 threshold for an absolute majority.
The Conservative Party, led by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, has now won 121 seats (23.7%), compared with 365 seats five years ago under Boris Johnson. This is the lowest number since the party was founded in 1834.
* With information from Agence France-Presse
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Emily Brontë is a journalist and feature writer specialising in culture, entertainment, literature, and current affairs. She is dedicated to producing clear, accurate reporting that helps readers stay informed about developments in the UK and around the world.
