FORMER Better Together chief Blair McDougall has been given a promotion and a new ministerial role in the UK Government, while former Scottish secretary Ian Murray has been demoted.
The changes in positions for the pair, both of whom were ministers in Keir Starmer’s previous Labour government, were announced late on Wednesday as new Prime Minister Andy Burnham confirmed his ministerial team.
Perhaps the most controversial announcement was outgoing Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar as a trade minister, a role he will be given a life peerage in the House of Lords in order to take up.
Elsewhere, Imogen Walker – the Hamilton and Clyde Valley MP who is married to former Downing Street chief of staff Morgan McSweeney – has been fired from government along with a host of other Starmer loyalists.
Read on for all the Scottish Labour parliamentarians and how their roles in the UK Government have changed (or not) under Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
Scottish Labour figures and their roles in the UK Government:
- Blair McDougall has been given two ministerial roles, instead of just one. He will not be an energy minister as well as a business minister.
- Ian Murray has had his ministerial role cut down. Formerly a joint minister in both the culture and science departments, Murray will now serve only in the culture department.
- Douglas Alexander will remain as Scottish Secretary, a role he took on after Murray was removed from the position in September 2025.
- Kirsty McNeill has been given a new role as a minister in the Foreign Office, a promotion from her previously role working below Alexander in the Scotland Office.
- Melanie Ward, the MP for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy, has replaced McNeill as a minister in the Scotland Office.
- Anas Sarwar will become a trade minister and a life peer, resigning from Holyrood as an MSP.
- Margaret Curran, a life peer and former Scottish Labour MSP, has been made an energy minister. Previously, Curran had been a UK Government whip in the Lords.
- Livingston MP Gregor Poynton has become a UK Government whip, official a “Junior Lord of the Treasury”.
- Rutherglen MP Michael Shanks will remain as an energy minister.
- Martin McCluskey, the MP for Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West, will also remain an energy minister.
- Catherine Smith KC, the daughter of former Labour leader John Smith, will remain as the Advocate General for Scotland.
- Imogen Walker has been removed from government so will sit as a backbench MP.
Read on for the full list of all the changes to Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s ministerial team.
All the changes to the UK Government ministerial team under Andy Burnham
- Rt Hon John Healey MP as Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP as Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
- Rt Hon Louise Haigh MP as First Secretary of State, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Minister for the Cabinet Office
- Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP as Secretary of State of Health and Social Care
- Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Rt Hon Jonathan Reynolds MP as Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade
- Rt Hon Lucy Powell MP as Secretary of State for Education
- Rt Hon Anneliese Midgley MP as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip). She will be a member of Cabinet
- Rt Hon Lisa Nandy MP as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
- Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP as Secretary of State for Defence
- Rt Hon Alex Norris MP as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
- Rt Hon Dame Angela Eagle DBE MP as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Rt Hon Miatta Fahnbulleh MP as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
- Rt Hon Stephen Kinnock MP as Secretary of State for Wales
- Rt Hon Sir Chris Bryant MP as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
- Rt Hon Ellie Reeves KC MP as Attorney General. She will attend Cabinet
- Rt Hon Emma Reynolds MP as Chief Secretary to the Treasury. She will attend Cabinet.
- Rt Hon Kanishka Narayan MP as Minister of State (Minister for Artificial Intelligence) jointly in the Cabinet Office and the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. He will attend Cabinet
- Rt Hon Hamish Falconer MP as Minister of State (Minister for Intergovernmental Relations and European Relations) jointly in the Cabinet Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. He will attend Cabinet.
- Rt Hon Dan Jarvis MBE MP as Minister of State (Security Minister) jointly in the Home Office and the Cabinet Office
- Kirsty McNeill MP as Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
- Rt Hon James Murray MP as Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
- Rt Hon Lucy Rigby KC MP as Minister of State in HM Treasury (Economic Secretary to the Treasury)
- Rt Hon Anna Turley MP as Minister of State in the Home Office
- Catherine McKinnell MP as Minister of State in the Ministry of Justice
- Katie White OBE MP as Minister of State in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
- Andrew Western MP as Minister of State in the Department for Work and Pensions
- Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson DBE MP as Minister of State in the Department of Health and Social Care
- Florence Eshalomi MP as Minister of State in the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Kate Dearden MP as Minister of State in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade
- Chris McDonald MP as Minister of State in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade
- Rt Hon Ian Murray MP as Minister of State in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
- Emma Hardy MP as Minister of State in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Emma Foody MP as Vice Chamberlain of HM Household (Government Whip)
- Andy Slaughter MP as Solicitor General
- Anas Sarwar as Minister of State in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (pending a peerage)
- Alison McGovern MP as Minister of State in the Department of Health and Social Care
- Sir Stephen Timms MP as Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Minister for Equalities). He will remain as Minister of State in the Department for Work and Pensions.
- Baroness Smith of Malvern as Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Minister for Women and Equalities). She will remain as jointly Minister of State in the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education.
- Sally Jameson MP jointly as Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet Office and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Dan Tomlinson MP as Parliamentary Secretary jointly in the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury (Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury)
- Mark Ferguson MP as Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet Office.
- Baroness Twycross as Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet Office. She will remain as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
- Lord Pitt-Watson as Parliamentary Secretary in HM Treasury
- Uma Kumaran MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and as Assistant Whip
- Satvir Kaur MP jointly as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Home Office and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Minister for Equalities)
- Lord Collins of Highbury jointly as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Home Office and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Minister for Equalities). He will remain as Deputy Leader of the House of Lords.
- Jo White MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Home Office
- Baroness Lloyd of Effra CBE as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade
- Blair McDougall MP jointly as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
- Lord Leong as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade
- Lord Lemos as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice
- Alex Davies-Jones MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice
- Polly Billington MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
- Baroness Curran as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
- Paul Waugh MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Education
- Lilian Greenwood MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Work and Pensions
- James Frith MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Health and Social Care
- Jim McMahon OBE MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Baroness Blake of Leeds CBE as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. She will remain as Baroness in Waiting (Government Whip)
- Jenny Riddell-Carpenter MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Stephen Morgan MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Justin Madders MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Transport
- Simon Lightwood MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Minister for Equalities). He remains as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Transport.
- Vicky Foxcroft MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
- Stephanie Peacock MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
- Ruth Mackenzie CBE as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (pending a peerage)
- Sarah Owen MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Northern Ireland Office
- Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Northern Ireland Office and as Captain of The King’s Bodyguard of the Yeoman of the Guard (Lords Deputy Chief Whip)
- Melanie Ward MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Scotland Office
- Claire Hughes MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Wales Office and Junior Lord of the Treasury (Government Whip)
- Gregor Poynton MP as Junior Lord of the Treasury (Government Whip)
- Shaun Davies MP as Junior Lord of the Treasury (Government Whip)
- Laurence Turner MP as Assistant Whip
- Rachel Hopkins MP as Assistant Whip
- Harpreet Uppal MP as Assistant Whip
- Michael Wheeler MP as Assistant Whip
- Liam Conlon MP as Assistant Whip
- Sarah Coombes MP as Assistant Whip
- Baroness Antrobus MBE as Baroness in Waiting (Government Whip)
- Baroness Dacres of Lewisham OBE as Baroness in Waiting (Government Whip)
- Baroness Hyde of Bemerton as Baroness in Waiting (Government Whip)
The following have been re-appointed:
- Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood MP will remain as Secretary of State for the Home Department
- Rt Hon Heidi Alexander MP will remain as Secretary of State for Transport.
- Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP will remain as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
- Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP will remain a full member of Cabinet as Minister for Women and Equalities, reporting to the Prime Minister
- Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP will remain as Secretary of State for Scotland.
- Rt Hon Sir Alan Campbell MP will remain as Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
- Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Basildon will remain as Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Lords
- Rt Hon Matthew Pennycook MP will remain as Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. He will attend Cabinet.
- Stephen Doughty MP will remain as Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
- Sarah Jones MP will remain as Minister of State in the Home Office
- Rt Hon Lord Hanson of Flint will remain as Minister of State in the Home Office
- Sarah Sackman KC MP will remain as Minister of State in the Ministry of Justice
- Luke Pollard MP will remain as Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence
- Lord Coaker will remain as Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence
- Michael Shanks MP will remain as Minister of State in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
- Georgia Gould OBE MP will remain as Minister of State in the Department for Education
- Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP will remain as Minister of State in the Department for Work and Pensions
- Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Malvern will remain as Minister of State in the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education
- Baroness Sherlock OBE will remain as Minister of State in the Department for Work and Pensions
- Karin Smyth MP will remain as Minister of State in the Department of Health and Social Care
- Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill CBE will remain as Minister of State in the Department for Transport
- Rt Hon Lord Kennedy of Southwark will remain as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentleman at Arms (Lords Chief Whip)
- Rt Hon Sir Mark Tami MP will remain as Treasurer of His Majesty’s Household (Deputy Chief Whip)
- Gen Kitchen MP will remain as Comptroller of HM Household (Government Whip)
- Baroness Smith of Cluny KC will remain as HM Advocate General for Scotland
- Torsten Bell MP will remain as Parliamentary Secretary jointly in HM Treasury and the Department for Work and Pensions
- Chris Elmore MP will remain as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
- Jake Richards MP will remain as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice. He will no longer serve as Assistant Whip.
- Calvin Bailey MBE MP will remain as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defence
- Louise Sandher-Jones MP will remain as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defence
- Martin McCluskey MP will remain as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
- Josh MacAlister OBE MP will remain as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Education
- Baroness Merron will remain as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Health and Social Care
- Baroness Taylor of Stevenage OBE will remain as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
- Keir Mather MP will remain as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Transport
- Baroness Hayman of Ullock will remain as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Anna McMorrin MP will remain as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales
- Christian Wakeford MP will remain as Junior Lord of the Treasury (Government Whip)
- Jade Botterill MP will remain as Junior Lord of the Treasury (Government Whip)
- Rt Hon Lord Wilson of Sedgefield will remain as Lord in Waiting (Government Whip)
- Lord Katz MBE will remain as Lord in Waiting (Government Whip)
- Baroness Ramsey of Wall Heath will remain as Baroness in Waiting (Government Whip)
The following have left government:
- Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP
- Rt Hon Darren Jones MP
- Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP
- Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP
- Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP
- Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP
- Rt Hon David Lammy MP
- Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP
- Rt Hon Lord Hermer KC
- Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP
- Rachel Blake MP
- Sir Nicholas Dakin MP
- Rt Hon Baroness Chapman of Darlington
- Lord Livermore
- Lord Stockwood
- Lord Whitehead CBE
- Lord Vallance
- Lord Timpson OBE
- Chris Ward MP
- Seema Malhotra MP
- Natalie Fleet MP
- Mike Tapp MP
- Catherine Atkinson MP
- Olivia Bailey MP
- Preet Kaur Gill MP
- Sharon Hodgson MP
- Nesil Caliskan MP
- Samantha Dixon MBE MP
- Mary Creagh MP
- Matthew Patrick MP
- Baroness Levitt KC
- Baroness Wheeler MBE
- Deirdre Costigan MP
- Taiwo Owatemi MP
- Imogen Walker MP
