Wes Streeting joins Andy Burnham’s cabinet in new role after health secretary resignation
Wes Streeting (Getty Images)
Wes Streeting has been appointed defence secretary by new prime minister Andy Burnham, two months after he resigned as health secretary.
On 20 July, Burnham became the UK’s 59th prime minister, replacing Sir Keir Starmer who stepped down in June. Streeting confirmed he would not be running for Labour leadership, and therefore could not become prime minister, on 22 June.
Streeting, who drew criticism among the trans community for pausing puberty blockers, has now found a role in the Labour cabinet once again, with Burnham appointing him as defence secretary.
He joins Yvette Cooper, who is the new health secretary, Ed Miliband as foreign secretary, Angela Rayner as housing secretary and Lucy Powell as education secretary. Bridget Phillipson, who presented the updated EHRC guidelines to Parliament in May, will remain the Women and Equalities Minister.
Wes Streeting as Secretary of State for Defence
As Secretary of State for Defence, Wes Streeting has, according to the UK Government’s description, “overall responsibility for the business of the department”.
Those responsibilities include: strategic policy and operational oversight, including as a member of the National Security Council; nuclear deterrent (CASD) and operations policy and enterprise; strategic overview of the Strategic Defence Review Implementation and Defence Investment Plan; Defence budget; Euro-Atlantic strategy and planning; Defence strategy, planning, programme, and resource allocation; relationships with strategic international partners: US, France, Germany, Australia, Ukraine; One Defence Reform Programme; oversight of Veterans; Service Personnel deaths on duty and letters of condolence; strategic multilaterl programmes – AUKUS and GCAP; regulatory functions; Independent Afghan Inquiry.
Already, in his first press conference as defence secretary on 21 July, Streeting addressed defence spending, saying it may rise as he has a “friend” at the Treasury, suggesting the military budget would increase by more than £25billion by 2035.
He said that Burnham’s commitment to defence “will be even more clear in the coming months”, adding that the UK will “stick by” commitments made to allies.
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