John Healey named Chancellor of the Exchequer in 'surprise' move

The appointment came as a "surprise" after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband were rumoured to be the frontrunners for the job in Number 11 Downing Street. Healey resigned from Keir Starmer's cabinet over lack of funding on defence. In his parliamentary career, the newly appointed chancellor served as parliamentary private secretary to the chancellor between 1999 and 2001 as well as Treasury minister. Posting on X on Monday (20 July), he said it was the "greatest privilege" to be appointed as chancellor by the prime minister. "Together, we will build a...