With Andy Burnham set to finally enter No 10, all eyes are on what his top team could look like – but the contest over who will be his next chancellor is hotting up.
The former Greater Manchester Mayor’s premiership was cemented this week when he was confirmed as the new Labour leader on Friday after receiving nominations from 379 of the 403 Labour MPs.
The former mayor nearly enjoyed a clean sweep of declared nominations, had it not been for backbencher Neil Coyle selecting ex-minister Catherine West, who pulled back from mounting an unlikely leadership challenge against Sir Keir in May.
Mr Burnham, who was sworn in as an MP last month, is facing demands from both inside and outside the Labour Party to generate real change when he enters Number 10.
This doesn’t just mean changes to policy, but also changes to the cabinet – with Mr Burnham likely to choose a team that reflects a broader range of views from within the party than the narrow one represented by Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet.
Mr Burnham would, of course, have close allies who he would want to reward with top jobs. But when he gets to the point of naming his cabinet, it will be one role more than any other that will shape his government – his pick as chancellor.
Here, The Independent looks at who might be in the running for his top team.
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Who will be Burnham’s chancellor when he becomes prime minister?
After the prime minister, the role of chancellor is the most important role in government and Mr Burnham’s pick will be the biggest sign of a change of direction from Sir Keir.
While Rachel Reeves gave her backing to the MP for Makerfield in what was seen as a last ditch attempt to keep her job, it looks almost certain that she will be ousted from the Treasury – and potentially out of government altogether.
There is a suggestion she could land the defence secretary job where she would have to persuade her old department to provide the money to fill the £4.7bn black hole she left in Defence Improvement Plan.
Along with her would go her economic policy and perhaps her tight borrowing rules – although Mr Burnham has already said he will stick by them.
There are now two names being widely discussed to be Mr Burnham’s prospective chancellor – Shabana Mahmood and Ed Miliband.
These names represent very different approaches to the economy, with Ms Mahmood on the right of the party, and Mr Miliband a leading figure on the soft left.
Shabana Mahmood
Most people now expect Ms Mahmood to land the job.
After weeks of wrangling, Ms Mahmood is now the frontrunner for the job. She is seen to be deeply competent after having gained a reputation as a tough home secretary. In an added bonus, her appointment would also allow Mr Burnham to get her out the Home Office and tweak her immigration policy.
The appointment of Ms Mahmood, who comes from the Labour right, would calm market jitters amid concerns that Mr Burnham in No 10 could unleash more borrowing. However, she has not previously held any economic roles as a minister.
But, as revealed by The Independent, there are concerns on the left that she is in favour of cutting taxes and welfare.
Ed Miliband
Mr Miliband had been hankering for the chancellor job for some time and was a leading contender who would overhaul economic policy in a leftward direction. But he is set to be disappointed.
He is now expected to be foreign secretary instead with a brief to reform the Foreign Office and also look at a roadmap back to 0.7 per cent of GDP spent on international aid.
Mr Miliband’s history of taking a hard line approach to net zero policies have made him a controversial figure, and it is an image that will be hard to shake off.
More female MPs could be brought into cabinet
A number of female MPs would likely play key roles in a Mr Burnham cabinet.
Top of that list is Louise Haigh, who was forced out of Sir Keir’s cabinet as transport minister over revelations of past criminal convictions involving fraud regarding mobile phones.
She has revived her career – not least as a pivotal figure in Mr Burnham’s campaign coordinating his push in Makerfield and wider bid to be the new Labour leader. If Mr Burnham becomes PM, she is expected to get the key coordination role of Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster running the cabinet Office, the engine of government.
Allies of Ms Haigh have told The Independent that she is set to be appointed the new chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster – running the cabinet Office and working closely with the prime minister and Downing Street.
Another key figure in his campaign was Knowsley MP Anneliese Midgley who would get a plum role, possibly in as party chair.
Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister, is also poised for a comeback. She has quietly put aside her own leadership ambitions to back Mr Burnham. She was forced to resign over her tax affairs but now is looking at a top job, and is being talked of as the next health secretary.
Mr Burnham’s ally and party deputy leader Lucy Powell would also likely get a cabinet post and is expected to end up as deputy prime minister. She is also poised to replace Steve Reed running local government, housing and communities.
The current culture secretary Lisa Nandy would be set for a promotion – she too will be eyeing education.
There is speculation that the current foreign secretary Yvette Cooper could get her previous job as home secretary back, although John Healey, who quit as defence secretary in protest over funding shortfalls, is another name linked to this role.
A third name to look out for as a possible home secretary is Wes Streeting, who resigned as health secretary from Starmer’s government in the hopes of launching his own leadership bid which never materialised.
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Who would be out?
There is a chance of wholesale change which means some surprising figures could be out. Deputy prime minister David Lammy, a close ally of Sir Keir, is widely expected to find himself on the backbenches.
There is also speculation that Mr Burnham would move on from the Morgan McSweeney allies – housing secretary Steve Reed, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Darren Jones, business secretary Peter Kyle.
Meanwhile, tech secretary Liz Kendall – who failed previously in the welfare job – is unlikely to land a role in any Burnham cabinet. There is talk that Pat McFadden will remain as work and pensions secretary.
One thing, though, that is always true about new cabinet selections is that there are always surprise names which emerge.
