Shabana Mahmood, 44, is seen as a “safe pair of hands” in Labor, a no-nonsense politician who has not been scared to take bold action while running the justice system - Photo Eawaz
Pakistani-origin Shabana Mahmood Made UK Interior Minister
London: Pakistani-origin MP Shabana Mahmood was made the United Kingdom’s interior minister in a cabinet reshuffle on Friday after Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner resigned saying she deeply regretted her mistake of underpaying property tax on a new home.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also brought in new deputy and foreign ministers in a sweeping reshuffle intended to restore his authority after Rayner’s resignation.
Starmer moved foreign minister David Lammy to become deputy prime minister and replaced him with interior minister Yvette Cooper. She was, in turn, replaced by justice secretary Mahmood. All are loyal, trusted hands.
After reshaping his Downing Street team last week to bolster his economic advice, a ministerial reshuffle was expected. Rayner’s departure meant it was much deeper than widely predicted, forcing Starmer to draw a line under more than a week of distracting speculation over her tax affairs.
Starmer could do little to protect Rayner after Britain’s independent adviser ruled that she had breached the ministerial code by failing to pay the correct tax.
“Angela is a ‘big beast’ and hard to replace,” said one Labor lawmaker, adding that the three new appointments were “sound” if not overly exciting.
Mahmood, 44, is seen as a “safe pair of hands” in Labor, a no-nonsense politician who has not been scared to take bold action while running the justice system.
While Lammy has been given the position of deputy prime minister, he has also been forced to hand over the much sought-after role of foreign secretary and replace Mahmood at justice.
Cooper is one of Labor’s most senior figures after serving former prime minister Gordon Brown. Her appointment will be seen as a promotion of sorts after overseeing the government’s often criticized policy to tackle illegal migration.
Loyalty is seen as vital by Starmer, who has suffered the most ministerial resignations — outside government reshuffles — of any prime minister early in their tenure in almost 50 years.
“There is a sense at the moment that they don’t know what they are doing and what they stand for,” Chris Hopkins, political research director at polling firm Savanta, told Reuters.
Rayner, 45, was the eighth, and the most senior, ministerial departure from Starmer’s team, and the most damaging yet after the British leader offered her his support when she was first accused of avoiding 40,000 pounds ($54,000) in tax.
Rayner apologized to Starmer in her resignation letter. “I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice,” she said.
She also stepped down as a minister and as deputy party leader, a position that Lammy will now be in pole position for. – Reuters
According to Wikipedia, Shabana Mahmood (born 17 September 1980) is a British politician and barrister who has been serving as Home Secretary since 2025. She previously served as Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor from 2024 to 2025. A member of the Labor Party , she has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Ladywood since 2010 . Mahmood identifies as belonging to the more socially conservative Blue Labor faction of the Labor Party.
In 2002 Mahmood graduated with a degree in law from Lincoln College, Oxford . She went on to complete the Bar Vocational Course at the Inns of Court School of Law in 2003. As a barrister her specialism is professional indemnity . Her selection as the Labor Party candidate for Birmingham Ladywood for the 2010 general election caused some dissent in the constituency party, but was found by an inquiry led by a member of the National Executive Committee to be legitimate. She became one of the first female Muslim MPs, along with Rushanara Ali and Yasmin Qureshi . Between 2010 and 2024, while the Labor Party was the Official Opposition , she held various shadow frontbench positions, including Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury from 2013 to 2015.
