Cull of Starmer allies as the new chancellor faces several spending choices

Determined to create early policy announcements, one government ends and a new government begins.

We expect to see and hear a lot from new Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his senior ministers in the coming days, as they debate, travel the country and make an impact.

Burnham’s new cabinet will meet for the first time at lunchtime.

The appointment became an overnight affair.

At 22:00 BST on Monday night, a minibus full of ministerial demands was in Downing Street waiting for their new location to be confirmed.

One of the posts later filled was defense secretary, a role held by Wes Streeting, whose resignation as health secretary two months earlier contributed to the end of Sir Keir Starmer’s tenure as prime minister.

The story of the change can best be summed up by the fact that one of the two ministers as chancellor – Shabana Mahmoud and Ed Miliband – went to John Healey instead of getting that job.

And now there’s the significance of the ministers closest and most loyal to the former prime minister: think David Lammy, Darren Jones, Peter Kyle, Lord Hermer, Steve Reid and Rachel Reeves – although Reeves was offered a cabinet post but turned it down.