Sir Keir Starmer has completed his reshuffle of junior ministerial ranks as the home secretary is hit with an immediate crisis after Channel crossings hit 30,000.
The prime minister completed the reshuffle in a bid to harden his immigration policy amid rising numbers of crossings in the Channel.
Shabana Mahmood is reportedly set to announce the use of Ministry of Defence sites to house people after a wave of protests outside migrant accommodation over the summer.
The defence secretary John Healey confirmed to Sky News that he has placed military planners into the Home Office to scout out military facilities, after an estimated 1,000 people arrived in the UK by small boat over the course of Saturday.
Starmer moved quickly to appoint David Lammy deputy prime minister while Yvette Cooper has been moved from home secretary to take up a new role as foreign secretary, with justice secretary Shabana Mahmood replacing her at the Home Office.
UK politics live: Key points
- Final appointments made in Government reshuffle
- Asylum seekers could be "temporarily" moved to military sites
- Channel crossings pass 30,000 arrivals in record time
- New Home Secretary to discuss border security
- Starmer makes further changes to his junior ministerial ranks in the reshuffle
Starmer appointed 'Blairites' to key roles
03:30 , Rebecca WhittakerSir Keir Starmer has appointed “Blairites” to key roles in a cabinet reshuffle and handed the main economic departments to ministers on Labour’s reforming right flank, the Times reported.
The new housing secretary, Steve Reed, told civil servants to “build, baby, build” to kick-start growth.
Peter Kyle, appointed business secretary, is expected to focus on overhauling burdensome regulation, as Labour aims to cut costs on business by 25 per cent.
Recap: Channel crossings pass 30,000 arrivals in record time
03:00 , Rebecca WhittakerSome 1,097 migrants crossed the Channel in 17 boats on Saturday, bringing the total in 2025 so far to 30,100, Home Office figures show.
It is the earliest point in a calendar year at which the 30,000 mark has been passed since data on Channel crossings was first reported in 2018.
Last year, the figure was not passed until October 30 and in 2023 it was never reached as crossings totalled 29,437 for the whole year.
In 2022, the number was reached on September 21.
Housing Secretary vows to 'build baby build'
02:30 , Rebecca WhittakerAngela Rayner’s replacement as Housing Secretary has vowed to “build baby build”.
Steve Reed has pledged to boost housebuilding amid concern in government that the economy is not growing quickly enough.
The Housing Secretary has identified that there are believed to be up to 1.4 million homes that have been granted permission but have not yet been built, the Telegraph reported.
Sirens blare as emergency test alert sent to phones across UK
02:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Sirens blare as emergency test alert sent to phones across UK
Emily Thornberry tells Keir Starmer to 'stop making mistakes'
01:30 , Rebecca WhittakerSir Keir Starmer has been warned by senior Labour figures to stop making mistakes.
Emily Thornberry, MP for Islington South and Finsbury, who confirmed she is considering running for the role of deputy prime minister, said further mistakes from Starmer could lead to having to “hand our country to [Nigel] Farage”.
Thornberry told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: “Domestically, things just don’t seem to be working … People hear about the mistakes. And the question is, why are we making these mistakes?
“We can’t afford to keep doing this, because we’ve gone from having the fantastic gift from the British public of a huge majority to now being at 20 per cent in the polls, and we will have in the next election the biggest fight of our lives coming against Farage. And the last thing we want is to go from a position where it was thought we would be in for two terms, to hand our country over to Farage.”
Brian Cox slams ‘bully’ Nigel Farage in scathing rant on ‘misinformed’ Reform UK leader
01:02 , Rebecca Whittaker
Brian Cox slams ‘bully’ Nigel Farage in rant on ‘misinformed’ Reform leader
New home secretary hit with immediate crisis as small boat Channel crossings top 30,000
00:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
New home secretary hit with immediate crisis as Channel crossings top 30,000
Watch: Reform UK sings national anthem as Andrea Jenkyns takes the lead
00:00 , Rebecca WhittakerRecap: Reform UK's biggest weakness is government inexperience, Farage said
23:31 , Rebecca WhittakerReform UK leader Nigel Farage said his party’s biggest weakness is “experience at government level”.
He told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg that Nadine Dorries “brings us the one commodity we’re very short of and that’s experience at government level”.
Mr Farage said: “That is our biggest weakness. You could ask me lots of questions about policy and personnel and all the rest of it, but if you ask me, how are you going to do this? I can’t really give you an answer, because I haven’t got anybody in the senior team that’s ever been there before.
“Nadine came yesterday. She’s the first, and there will be others.”
Healey dismisses suggestion Lammy is preferred candidate
23:00 , Rebecca WhittakerOn Sunday, John Healey dismissed the idea that former foreign secretary David Lammy’s appointment as Deputy Prime Minister meant he was the Prime Minister’s preferred candidate for the job.
“They’re two separate jobs, two very important jobs. The deputy leader of the Labour Party is an important job and an important vote for Labour Party members,” he told Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips.
Meanwhile, Andy Burnham backed Louise Haigh, who resigned as transport secretary last year after it emerged she had previously been convicted of a fraud offence, or former Commons leader Lucy Powell.
Ms Powell was sacked as part of Sir Keir’s Cabinet shake-up this week while Ms Haigh left Government in November after it emerged she had admitted to incorrectly telling police a work mobile phone was stolen in 2013.
Recap: Green Party leader says voters don't have 'time to wait around for Corbyn'
22:30 , Rebecca WhittakerGreen Party leader Zack Polanski has urged left-leaning voters to back his party, saying there is no “time to wait around” for a new party from Jeremy Corbyn and Zara Sultana.
Speaking to Trevor Phillips on Sky News on Sunday, Mr Polanski said: “I like Jeremy Corbyn, I like Zara Sultana.
“A lot of our politics is similar and I share lots of platforms with them.
“Jeremy said it himself the other day – we are different people.
“Whatever they are going to set up does not exist yet.
“I don’t think we have time to wait around.
“I would say to anyone who wants to have social, environmental, racial and economic justice – join the Green Party right now.”
Read more here:
Zack Polanski tells voters there is no ‘time to wait around’ for Corbyn party
Watch: John Healey Reveals Starmer Has Told Cabinet To 'Step It Up A Gear'
21:50 , Rebecca WhittakerRecap: Yusuf says Boris 'betrayed Brexit voters' calling him the 'worst prime minister'
21:20 , Rebecca WhittakerReform UK's Zia Yusuf described Boris Johnson as “one of the worst prime ministers in British history” and accused him of betraying Brexit voters.
Reform UK’s head of policy told Sky News the former Conservative leader would never be welcome in his party.
“We certainly would not welcome Boris Johnson – that’s never going to happen,” he said.
“He threw open our borders. The Boris wave, which is millions and millions of non-EU migrants flooding into the country post-Brexit, betrayed every single person that voted Brexit.
“Frankly, he was one of the worst prime ministers in British history.”
Mahmood meets head of Scotland Yard on her first day
20:50 , Rebecca WhittakerShabana Mahmood met the head of Scotland Yard on Saturday to receive a briefing on the policing operation in response to protests in London.
“Supporting Palestine and supporting a proscribed terrorist group are not the same thing,” she said.
“An honour to visit Sir Mark (Rowley) and the Metropolitan Police to see them at work policing protests yesterday.”
Almost 900 people were arrested at a central London rally protesting against the banning of Palestine Action as a terror group, the force said earlier.
Final appointments made in Government reshuffle
20:24 , Rebecca WhittakerSir Keir Starmer has completed a wide-ranging Government reshuffle.
The final appointments made were:
– Martin McCluskey as minister in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
– Keir Mather as a transport minister.
– Jake Richards as justice minister and assistant whip, and Nesil Caliskan, Lilian Greenwood, Christian Wakeford and Sir Nick Dakin as Government whips.
– Stephen Morgan and Claire Hughes also become Government whips, while Mark Ferguson, Claire Hughes, Gregor Poynton, Imogen Walker, Jade Botterill and Deirdre Costigan become assistant whips.
– Lord Collins of Highbury has been made a Government whip while remaining as Deputy Leader of the Lords.
– Former transport minister Mike Kane, former climate minister Kerry McCarthy, former whip Jeff Smith and former assistant whip Gerald Jones have left the Government.
Watch: Emily Thornberry reveals she is 'thinking about' standing for deputy PM following Rayner resignation
20:20 , Rebecca WhittakerChannel crossings pass 30,000 arrivals in record time
19:50 , Rebecca WhittakerSome 1,097 migrants crossed the Channel in 17 boats on Saturday, bringing the total in 2025 so far to 30,100, Home Office figures show.
It is the earliest point in a calendar year at which the 30,000 mark has been passed since data on Channel crossings was first reported in 2018.
Last year, the figure was not passed until October 30 and in 2023 it was never reached as crossings totalled 29,437 for the whole year.
In 2022, the number was reached on September 21.
Starmer warned deputy leadership race is make-or-break moment for Labour government
19:20 , Rebecca Whittaker
Starmer warned deputy leadership race is make-or-break moment for Labour government
Watch: Brian Cox Slams 'Bully' Nigel Farage In Scathing Takedown Of 'Misinformed' Reform UK Leader
18:50 , Rebecca WhittakerMahmood said the first migrant returns will begin 'imminently'
18:20 , Rebecca WhittakerShabana Mahmood said the first migrant returns will begin “imminently” under a deal with France after Home Office figures showed small boat crossings in the Channel have passed 30,000 this year.
The new Home Secretary said: “These small boats crossings are utterly unacceptable and the vile people smugglers behind them are wreaking havoc on our borders.
“Thanks to our deal with France, people crossing in small boats can now be detained and removed to France and I expect the first returns to take place imminently.
“Protecting the UK border is my priority as Home Secretary and I will explore all options to restore order to our immigration system.”
Kemi Badenoch says Labour 'mismanaged the economy' as London Tube strikes set to start
17:50 , Rebecca WhittakerKemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative Party, has accused Labour of “piling more misery on us”, as a week of Tube strikes are set to begin in London.
In a post on X she wrote: “Last year Keir Starmer put up taxes on struggling businesses, but gave inflation-busting pay rises to unions, promising to end strikes.
“A year later doctors are voting to strike for the second time this summer and London tube drivers walking out, piling more misery on us.
“Labour have completely mismanaged the economy. Conservatives will fix their mess by getting spending under control and living within our means.”
Pictured: Prime minister joins the King at church
17:30 , Rebecca WhittakerSir Keir Starmer joined King Charles at church in Scotland .
The prime minister and his wife Lady Victoria Starmer were pictured arriving at Crathie Kirk near Balmoral on Sunday morning.
Prayers were said for the Duchess of Kent and to mark the third anniversary of the King’s Accession.
Home Office looking at barracks to house asylum seekers under Mahmood
17:10 , Rebecca Whittaker
Home Office looking at barracks to house asylum seekers under Mahmood
More than 1,000 migrants arrived on Saturday
16:50 , Rebecca WhittakerMore than 30,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel so far this year, after 1,097 arrived on Saturday, Home Office figures show.
Siren sounds blared in national test this afternoon
16:30 , Rebecca WhittakerSiren sounds blared from mobile phones across the country in a test of the national emergency alert system.
At around 3pm on Sunday, mobiles connected to 4G and 5G networks vibrated and sounded for about 10 seconds in the second test of the system – after the first in 2023.
The vibrations and sirens lasted for about 10 seconds.
Tens of millions of phones successfully sounded across the country during today’s Emergency Alert test.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) September 7, 2025
This is an important step in keeping people safe during national emergencies.
New Home Secretary to discuss border security
16:10 , Rebecca WhittakerHome Secretary Shabana Mahmood will host counterparts from the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to discuss border security on Monday as her first major engagement in her new role.
Ms Mahmood said: “Rebuilding our reputation on the world stage is how we tackle serious organised crime and secure our borders.
“We have already reset our relationship with the EU, struck a people smuggling deal with the G7 and operationalised a first-of its-kind returns agreement with France. Today, we will agree new measures to protect our borders with our Five Eyes partners, hitting people smugglers hard.
“The Five Eyes might be drawn from different corners of the globe, but we are united by our alliance. As the security threats we all face become more complex and span continents, we are stronger and safer together.”
Asylum seekers could be "temporarily" moved to military sites
15:50 , Rebecca WhittakerAsylum seekers could be temporarily moved to military sites after Sir Keir Starmer told his new-look Cabinet to “go up a gear” amid rising numbers of small boat crossings in the Channel.
“I think you’ll start to see Keir Starmer insist that dealing with the small boats, solving the illegal immigration crisis, is part of the jobs of the whole of Government, not just the Home Office,” the Defence Secretary, John Healey, told Sky’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips show.
He said part of this would involve looking at moving asylum seekers into “temporary” accommodation on military sites, but did not confirm a date for when such transfers might take place.
Starmer makes further changes to his junior ministerial ranks in the reshuffle
15:42 , Rebecca WhittakerSir Keir Starmer has continued his major reshuffle following Angela Rayner’s resignation as housing secretary and deputy prime minister.
Here are the latest appointments:
- Chris Elmore MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
- Satvir Kaur MP as Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet Office.
- Josh Simons MP as Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet Office.
- Josh MacAlister OBE MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Education.
- Olivia Bailey MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Education.
- Blair McDougall MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Business and Trade.
- Kate Dearden MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Business and Trade.
- Kanishka Narayan MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
- Anna McMorrin MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Wales Office.
- Matthew Patrick MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Northern Ireland Office.
- Katie White OBE MP as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero.
Janet Daby MP, Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, Justin Madders MP, Gareth Thomas MP, Feryal Clark MP, Fleur Anderson MP, and Dame Nia Griffith DBE MP have left the Government.
'Labour are in complete meltdown,' Scottish Conservatives deputy leader says
15:30 , Rebecca WhittakerScottish Conservatives deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: “Labour are in complete meltdown and their integrity is in tatters after only 14 months in government.
“Ian Murray’s sacking was entirely in keeping with the chaos that surrounds Keir Starmer’s shambolic Government.
“The fact Ian Murray has now had to be shoehorned into a junior ministerial role after such backlash is systematic of the weakness of Keir Starmer and his long list of U-turns.
“The uninspiring appointment of Douglas Alexander, who is nothing more than a yes man for Labour, will mean more of the same broken promises.”
Douglas Alexander ‘looking forward to being Scotland’s voice’
15:11 , Rebecca WhittakerThe new Scottish Secretary says he is “looking forward to being Scotland’s voice” in Westminster after his predecessor, Ian Murray, lost his position in Friday’s reshuffle.
His replacement Douglas Alexander spoke on BBC One’s The Sunday Show, where he discussed his new role and his plans.
He told host Martin Geissler: “I’m looking forward to being Scotland’s voice at the Cabinet table, making sure not just that I’m speaking up for Scotland, but that my Cabinet colleagues understand the importance of Scotland to their work.”
Starmer warned deputy leadership race is make-or-break moment
14:52 , Holly EvansSir Keir Starmer has been warned Labour’s deputy leadership contest is a make or break moment for the government, with the party facing “the fight of its life” amid the rise of Reform.
With Nigel Farage comfortably leading in the polls, Dame Emily Thornberry and Andy Burnham said the PM must listen more to his backbenchers to stop Reform UK from winning the next general election.
Dame Emily said she was considering running for the deputy leadership after Angela Rayner was forced to resign over her failure to pay £40,000 in stamp duty on the purchase of a flat in Hove.
Read the full article here:
Starmer warned deputy leadership race is make-or-break moment for Labour government
Unions urge Government not to water down workers’ rights Bill
14:23 , Holly EvansUnions are urging the Government not to water down its flagship Bill on workers’ rights following ministerial changes in recent days, saying people expected Labour to deliver on the promises it made during the general election.
The Employment Rights Bill, which is in its final parliamentary stages, was championed by former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and former employment rights minister Justin Madders.
Both have left the posts they were in as the legislation was taken through the Commons, which has raised concerns among some union leaders.
Paul Nowak, general secretary of the TUC, said on Sunday he had seen no evidence that the Bill was going to be watered down.
Ahead of the opening day of the TUC Congress in Brighton, he said: “The Government must, and should, deliver on the promises it gave to the British people last July.
“The Bill will level the playing field – extending the standards already set by the best employers, working with unions, to millions more.”
Read the full article here:
Unions urge Government not to water down workers’ rights Bill
Watch: Reform UK sings national anthem as Andrea Jenkyns takes the lead
13:51 , Holly EvansWatch: John Healey reveals Starmer has told Cabinet to 'Step It Up A Gear'
13:40 , Holly EvansVaccine sceptic doctor uses Reform conference speech to link king’s cancer to Covid vaccine
13:20 , Holly EvansReform UK has been criticised for allowing a vaccine sceptic cardiologist to address its conference, where he claimed Covid vaccines may have caused the King and Princess of Wales's cancer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said it was "irresponsible" of the party to allow Dr Assem Malhotra to speak from the stage in Birmingham, where he made a series of claims about the pharmaceutical industry, politicians and the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Saturday.
Dr Malhotra, who described himself as a friend of controversial US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, said hundreds of studies showed the harms of mRNA vaccines and that they were interfering with genes.
Read the full article here:
Anti-vax doctor uses Reform conference speech to link king’s cancer to Covid jab
Who is in and who is out? Keir Starmer reshuffles junior ministers
13:00 , Holly EvansSir Keir Starmer has continued his major reshuffle following Angela Rayner’s resignation as housing secretary and deputy prime minister.
The prime minister is seeking to relaunch his government as it lags behind Reform UK in the polls and struggles to deliver on key promises.
Sir Keir moved Yvette Cooper from the Home Office to the Foreign Office on Friday in a major shake-up of his top team.
Read the full article here:
Who is in and who is out? Keir Starmer reshuffles junior ministers
Sweeping changes were needed for Labour to be serious about a fresh start
12:43 , Holly EvansBritain has had six foreign secretaries in four years. This century, we have had a new housing minister every year on average. And we have had more prime ministers in the last 10 years than in the previous 36.
Such churn in ministerial office is inimical to good administration. Just as a minister is beginning to understand the complex challenges of their department, the government car takes them to a new office where they are rendered useless by ignorance.
There was a time when Sir Keir Starmer seemed to agree with this analysis. He criticised the Conservatives for the instability of high ministerial turnover and promised a more settled period in the nation’s affairs.
Read the full editorial here:
Mahmood will be ‘just as tough’ on Palestine Action as Cooper, Healey says
12:20 , Holly EvansShabana Mahmood will be “just as tough” on Palestine Action as her Home Office predecessor, a Cabinet minister has said after more than 400 people were arrested while protesting against the group’s terror ban.
Defence Secretary John Healey suggested that supporters of the organisation, which has been proscribed by the Government, would need to face consequences in order to avoid “two-tier policing”.
Ms Mahmood took over as Home Secretary from Yvette Cooper, who moved to the Foreign Office, as part of Sir Keir Starmer’s wide-ranging Cabinet reshuffle on Friday.
The major shake-up saw the Prime Minister tell his new-look team to “go up a gear” in delivering policy, including on key issues like immigration and the search for economic growth.
Asked whether there would be a shift in Government policy on the group, Mr Healey said: “I expect Shabana Mahmood to be just as tough as Yvette Cooper and I expect her to defend the decision the Government’s taken on Palestine Action, because of what some of its members are responsible for and were planning.”
More than 425 people had been arrested by around 9pm on Saturday after a Parliament Square rally, Scotland Yard said.
Healey dismisses suggestion Lammy is preferred candidate for deputy leadership
11:59 , Holly EvansOn Sunday, John Healey dismissed the idea that former foreign secretary David Lammy’s appointment as Deputy Prime Minister meant he was the Prime Minister’s preferred candidate for the job.
“They’re two separate jobs, two very important jobs. The deputy leader of the Labour Party is an important job and an important vote for Labour Party members,” he told Sky News’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips.
Meanwhile, Andy Burnham backed Louise Haigh, who resigned as transport secretary last year after it emerged she had previously been convicted of a fraud offence, or former Commons leader Lucy Powell.
Ms Powell was sacked as part of Sir Keir’s Cabinet shake-up this week while Ms Haigh left Government in November after it emerged she had admitted to incorrectly telling police a work mobile phone was stolen in 2013.
Brian Cox slams ‘bully’ Nigel Farage in scathing rant on ‘misinformed’ Reform UK leader
11:31 , Holly EvansBrian Cox slams ‘bully’ Nigel Farage in rant on ‘misinformed’ Reform leader
Zack Polanski tells voters there is no ‘time to wait around’ for Corbyn party
11:19 , Holly EvansGreen Party leader Zack Polanski has urged left-leaning voters to back his party, saying there is no “time to wait around” for a new party from Jeremy Corbyn and Zara Sultana.
Mr Corbyn, the former Labour leader, and Ms Sultana have signalled plans to launch a new left-wing political movement but have not yet formally set it up.
Speaking to Trevor Phillips on Sky News on Sunday, Mr Polanski said: “I like Jeremy Corbyn, I like Zara Sultana.
“A lot of our politics is similar and I share lots of platforms with them.
“Jeremy said it himself the other day – we are different people. Whatever they are going to set up does not exist yet.
“I don’t think we have time to wait around.
“I would say to anyone who wants to have social, environmental, racial and economic justice – join the Green Party right now.”
The new Green leader also defended his party’s manifesto proposals, rejecting claims they would blow a £170 billion hole in the public finances.
Reform UK's biggest weakness is government inexperience, says Farage
11:03 , Holly EvansReform UK leader Nigel Farage said his party’s biggest weakness is “experience at government level”.
He told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg that Nadine Dorries “brings us the one commodity we’re very short of and that’s experience at government level”.
Mr Farage said: “That is our biggest weakness. You could ask me lots of questions about policy and personnel and all the rest of it, but if you ask me, how are you going to do this? I can’t really give you an answer, because I haven’t got anybody in the senior team that’s ever been there before.
“Nadine came yesterday. She’s the first, and there will be others.”
Tories accuse Reform UK of copying their immigration plans
10:45 , Holly EvansConservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake has accused Reform UK of copying the former Government’s migration policies.
Speaking on Sky News, Mr Hollinrake said: “All Reform are doing now – a few weeks ago they were talking about towing the boats back to France and they realised they couldn’t do that.
“And all their plans now are a copycat – exactly the plans that we had in the last government.
“We tried to get through – eventually got past Parliament in passing the Rwanda Act – to return people to their own country and if that could not happen to a third country, Rwanda.
“We got huge criticism for it – and Reform are now copying those plans.”
The Rwanda policy was heavily criticised by opposition MPs, charities and human rights groups, who argued it was costly, unworkable and inhumane.
