Lord chancellor David Lammy and attorney general Lord Richard Hermer were dismissed as Andy Burnham assumed the premiership, signalling a swift reshuffle of the new government’s top legal team.
Burnham’s first moves remove senior Starmer allies
Burnham took office as prime minister earlier today and immediately announced a new cabinet. Among the changes, Lammy—who had served as foreign secretary, justice secretary and Britain’s first Black deputy prime minister—was told his tenure as lord chancellor would end.
Lammy posted on X that serving in the Starmer administration had been “the great privilege of my life.” He added that he would have liked to stay in cabinet but recognized a new prime minister’s right to choose his own team, wishing Burnham “every success.”
Hermer, who had been attorney general for the past two years, also lost his post. The lady chief justice had recently criticized him for not correcting errors in a Crown Prosecution Service press release concerning a contentious sentencing decision. In a brief statement on Bluesky, he expressed gratitude for his service and praised the former prime minister’s focus on the rule of law.
The departures follow the resignation of prisons minister James Timpson, who stepped down this morning ahead of the announced reshuffle.
New appointments and the fate of pending reforms
Burnham’s cabinet includes John Healey as chancellor of the exchequer and Ed Miliband as foreign secretary. Shabana Mahmood remains home secretary, suggesting her immigration reforms—particularly changes to the interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights—will stay on the agenda.
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Alex Norris, a Member of Parliament without a legal background, has been named lord chancellor, while Ellie Reeves will take over as attorney general. This marks the thirteenth lord chancellor appointment in just over a decade, reflecting high turnover at the senior justice level.
Officials indicated that the courts and tribunals bill, which proposes limits on jury trials, could face renewed scrutiny after Lammy’s exit. The legislation’s progress may be affected by the new legal leadership’s priorities.
It may appear chaotic.
While the reshuffle reflects a broader pattern in parliamentary systems where incoming leaders often replace senior officials to align staff with their policy agenda, the rapid turnover can disrupt ongoing projects but also offers an opportunity for fresh perspectives on long‑standing issues.
In the coming weeks, the government is expected to outline how it will address the pending reforms to the justice system, including the controversial jury trial restrictions. Observers will watch whether the new lord chancellor and attorney general will maintain the previous administration’s trajectory or chart a different course.
Burnham’s team has already signaled a commitment to “make our streets safer and our immigration system fair for all,” echoing statements from the retained home secretary. The exact impact of these promises on legislation remains to be seen as the cabinet settles into its new configuration.
