On September 9, 2025, the political spotlight shone brightly on 10 Downing Street as Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened the first meeting of his newly reshuffled Cabinet. The gathering followed a turbulent week in British politics, marked by the resignation of Angela Rayner as deputy prime minister and deputy party leader—a move that set off a cascade of changes at the highest levels of government.
Starmer wasted no time in setting the tone for his administration’s next chapter. Flanked by David Lammy, his freshly appointed Deputy Prime Minister, Starmer addressed his Cabinet with a sense of urgency and mission. According to ITV News, he described his team as “the right people for this stage of our journey,” signaling both confidence in his choices and a clear expectation of unity moving forward.
But the Prime Minister’s remarks weren’t just about internal cohesion. In a pointed critique, Starmer took aim at Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, which recent polls show as a growing force in British politics. Without mentioning Farage or the party by name, Starmer warned, “We’re up against those that feed off the politics of grievance, those that do not want problems to be fixed, because if the problems are fixed, their reason to exist, their politics, ceases to have any role in our society.” As reported by BBC and ITV News, this was a clear signal that Labour now views Reform UK as its principal opposition, rather than the Conservatives under Kemi Badenoch.
Starmer’s message to his Cabinet was steeped in patriotic rhetoric. He emphasized a “patriotic duty” to deliver what he called a programme of “national renewal.” The Prime Minister outlined his vision: “You are the right people to heed the patriotic call to lift up our country and take it forward to national renewal for millions of working people.” He stressed that the government’s top priority must be driving economic growth to improve public services and boost the living standards of ordinary citizens.
“It’s them that we have in our mind’s eye as we go forward and our mission is the triumph of national renewal over divide and division and decline. That is our patriotic responsibility and our patriotic duty. And I look forward to working with all of you as we go on to this next phase of Government,” Starmer declared, according to Downing Street’s official account of the meeting.
The Cabinet meeting, as is customary, was held behind closed doors after Starmer’s opening remarks. But the agenda was anything but secret: the government is shifting from what Starmer called “fixing the foundations” to entering a “state of national renewal.” This marks a transition from stabilizing the country after years of political upheaval to actively rebuilding and improving it.
The reshuffle has also set off a heated contest within Labour, as MPs vie to replace Angela Rayner as deputy leader. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson was among the first to launch her campaign, a move that could spark internal tensions as the party grapples with slipping poll numbers. According to Sky News, the deputy leadership race is already shaping up to be a significant test of Labour’s unity and direction.
Yet, Starmer was quick to remind his team that success relies on collective effort. “We are obviously representing different departments around the table, as you must and you will, but you’re not just representing one department. You are representing the Government,” he told his ministers, as reported by BBC. The message was unmistakable: personal ambition must not come at the expense of the government’s broader mission.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces perhaps the toughest immediate challenge. Tasked with preparing a Budget that addresses a substantial black hole in the public finances, Reeves must balance the need for economic growth with fiscal responsibility. She told colleagues, “The entire autumn, and beyond, must be about growing the economy in a way that makes working people better off and provides the revenues we need to fund our public services.” Her approach, as outlined by Downing Street, includes delivering economic stability and public investment to boost both consumer and business confidence.
Reeves acknowledged the government “must do more to attract international investment, drive jobs and growth across the country, get Britain working, back the builders and not the blockers, and buy British.” These priorities reflect a broader ambition to not just recover from recent economic shocks, but to lay the groundwork for a more resilient and prosperous future.
Part of the government’s plan includes reducing the size of the civil service and the number of regulators—a move Starmer says is essential to “driving down costs and spending their taxes well.” The Prime Minister is keen to show the public that his administration is serious about efficiency and accountability, especially as it asks people to trust in its vision for renewal.
Meanwhile, the political landscape outside the Cabinet room is shifting rapidly. With Reform UK’s growing popularity—fueled, in Starmer’s view, by a politics of grievance—Labour faces a new kind of opposition. The Prime Minister’s strategy appears to be drawing a sharp contrast between his vision of a “decent, reasonable, compassionate, tolerant” Britain and what he sees as the divisive tactics of his rivals.
Yet, the challenges ahead are formidable. The deputy leadership contest could expose rifts within Labour as candidates jostle for position. At the same time, Chancellor Reeves’ upcoming Budget is likely to involve tough decisions on spending and taxation, with the ever-present risk of alienating key constituencies or sparking further internal dissent.
Still, Starmer’s message at the Cabinet table was one of resolve and optimism. He positioned his team as the architects of a new era, tasked with delivering for “millions of working people” and steering the country away from decline and division. As the government embarks on this next phase, the stakes—both political and economic—could hardly be higher.
For now, all eyes are on Downing Street, where the real work of national renewal has only just begun.
