Islamabad – Pakistan-origin Member of Parliament Shabana Mahmood has been appointed as the Home Secretary of the United Kingdom. The appointment came on Friday during a cabinet reshuffle, following the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who expressed deep regret over underpaying property tax on her new home. Pakistan-Origin MP Shabana Mahmood had been serving as Justice Secretary.

Keir Starmer’s Major Cabinet Reshuffle

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, seeking to restore his credibility after Angela Rayner’s resignation, made significant changes, appointing a new Deputy Prime Minister and a new Foreign Secretary.

Starmer named Foreign Secretary David Lammy as Deputy Prime Minister and replaced him with former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. Yvette Cooper’s position as Home Secretary was then given to Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood. All three are considered close and trusted allies of Keir Starmer.

Early Life and Background

Shabana Mahmood was born on September 17, 1980, in Birmingham. Her mother’s name is Zubeda and her father, Mahmood Ahmed, hails from Mirpur district in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. From 1981 to 1986, her family lived in Taif, Saudi Arabia, where her father worked as a civil engineer in the desalination sector. Later, they returned to the UK and settled in Birmingham, where her father bought a corner shop run by her mother.

Shabana was raised in Birmingham, studied at Small Heath School and King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls. Her father later became chairman of the local Labour Party, and at a young age she began helping him in local election campaigns.

Rayner’s Resignation and Wider Political Pressure

A ministerial reshuffle had already been expected following recent changes in Downing Street’s economic advisory team, but Angela Rayner’s resignation made the reshuffle much broader.

Starmer was unable to protect his deputy, Angela Rayner, after the UK’s independent adviser ruled that she had breached the ministerial code by failing to pay the correct tax, despite repeated warnings.

A Labour MP commented, “Angela is a big figure and difficult to replace,” but added that while the three new appointments are not extraordinary, they are “strong.”

A Trusted Labour Figure

At 44, Shabana Mahmood is considered a “safe and reliable figure” within the Labour Party — a serious politician who has not shied away from bold decisions during her time as Justice Secretary.

Meanwhile, David Lammy, though promoted to Deputy Prime Minister, had to give up the highly important role of Foreign Secretary and move to the Justice Department, replacing Shabana Mahmood.

Yvette Cooper, who also served in Gordon Brown’s government, is one of the senior Labour Party figures. Her new appointment is seen as a promotion, especially after her strict immigration policies drew heavy criticism.

Growing Challenges for Starmer

For Starmer, loyalty is critical, particularly as he has already faced more ministerial resignations at the start of his tenure than any other Prime Minister in the past 50 years (excluding reshuffles).

Angela Rayner, aged 45, became the eighth and most senior minister to leave Starmer’s team. Her resignation was a major blow to him, especially since he initially defended her against the tax avoidance allegations.

Rayner resigned from both her ministerial role and her position as deputy party leader. David Lammy is now seen as the strongest contender for that deputy leadership role.

The Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests said Rayner had breached the code of conduct by failing to take the correct action on her taxes, despite warnings, even though she insisted she had relied on legal advice.

Rayner’s resignation has further increased pressure on Starmer, as polls show the Labour Party falling behind Nigel Farage’s populist Reform UK.

Tax Controversy

Angela Rayner had registered her new home in the coastal town of Hove, southern England, as her primary residence, while transferring ownership of part of her family home to a trust for her son, who suffers from lifelong disability.

She said she believed she would not be required to pay higher tax on purchasing the second home. But when media reports suggested she may have saved £40,000 in tax, she sought further legal advice, admitted her mistake, and agreed to pay the additional tax.

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