In the first cabinet reshuffle, Murray has now been given a more senior role – working alongside Chancellor Rachel Reeves as Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

Born in Ealing, James Murray studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at Oxford University. His mother, Lynne, has also been involved in politics, standing as councillor for Cleveland ward from 2014 to 2018.

Despite already having a role in Government, he remains a relative unknown, so here is an outline on what he stand for, and what can we expect from him over the next four years?

Role as Deputy Mayor for Housing

Whilst serving as the Executive Member for Housing and Development at Islington Council between 2010 and 2016, James Murray focused his efforts on affordable housing across the borough.

He was appointed as the Deputy Mayor for Housing in London in 2016 by Sadiq Khan, following his victory in the mayoral election that same year.

Murray oversaw the £4.8 billion Affordable Homes Programme and played a key role in delivering new council housing across London – the highest number built in the city in the previous 30 years.

General election experience and Member of Parlaiment

James Murray has been the MP for Ealing North since 2019, gaining a majority of 12,519 votes in the 2024 general election.

As Shadow Financial Secretary, Murray consistently opposed Conservative policy. In 2022, he claimed that the government had, “no plan,” and that they had created, “chronic economic stagnation.”

His 2024 campaign placed a focus on incresing affordable housing and reducing NHS waiting times, along with the overall aim of winning the general election. After 14 years of successive Conservative governments, Murray reiterated to his constituency that, “it’s time to turn the page and change the government.”

A Labour safe seat since 1997, Murray’s vote share decreased in the 2024 election, winning 47.8 per cent of the vote share down from 56.5 in 2019. Despite this, he rapidly made an impact, acting as Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury until the cabinet reshuffle.

Voting history

A previous supporter of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader, Murray has since been on the, “soft left,” of the party.

James Murray’s voting record has typically aligned with that of the Labour Party, rarely rebelling against the leadership. Notable votes include support for assisted dying, easier access to abortion, and means-testing of winter fuel payments.

The welfare reform bill was particularly controversial, with most left-wing Labour MPs voting against it. Murray, however, was one of 333 Labour MPs to vote for the bill, supporting the beliefs of the cabinet.

The mini reshuffle

Since the Labour Party won the general election in July 2024, they have faced scrutiny from opposition parties and rebel MPs alike. The economy has been a particularly divisive topic, with Rachel Reeves often enduring criticism due to government policy.

The mini reshuffle has been focused on the Treasury, with Daniel Tomlinson being moved into Murray’s former position, as well as the new ministerial position created for Darren Jones, the new Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister.

Ahead of the autumn budget, Starmer has placed a focus on strengthening the economic leadership. With Murray’s competent record, it is unsurprising that he was chosen for the promotion.

Final thought

With the general election four years away, Labour still has time to alter the negative public opinion that surrounds them. This mini reshuffle allows for the party to change their messaging, with James Murray playing a key role in the changes.

Read our profile on Daniel Tomlinson here.

Read our profile on Darren Jones here.

Featured image via HM Government.

The biggest name on the list: James Cleverly. Known for taking on the roles of foreign secretary under Liz Truss and home secretary for Rishi Sunak, now takes on a new role – shadow secretary for housing.

Cleverly will replace Kevin Hollindrake, who will become party chair. Current chair, Nigel Huddleston, will take over as shadow culture secretary.

Commenting on the appointment of James Cleverly, Lib Dem Cabinet Office spokesperson Sarah Olney said: “Kemi Badenoch has appointed the very man who said that replacing Liz Truss as Prime Minister would be a terrible idea. It’s like appointing an iceberg apologist to a role steering the Titanic.

Former shadow health secretary, Ed Argar, has stepped down from the role due to a recent “health scare,” as explained in his resignation letter. Replacing him is current culture secretary Stuart Andrew, a prominent member of the Conservative party since 2017.

Ministers including Mel Stride, Priti Patel, and Chris Philp have survived the reshuffle and will continue their jobs as shadow chancellor of the exchequer, foreign secretary, and home secretary respectively.

Among those retaining their position is justice secretary Robert Jenrick – who was previously up against Badenoch as leader of the party.

On the right of the party, Jenrick has reiterated the his commitment to reducing immigration, something that Reform UK is also pushing for.

While previously conveying his respect for Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, Jenrick has also stuck firmly by the Conservative party, stating that a vote for any other party, “will only take the country backwards.”

These changes come at a time of political turmoil for the party, as yet another one of their members has defected to Reform UK. Joining a string of defectors, Welsh Sennedd member Laura Anne Jones explained her belief that Reform is, “listening to the people of Great Britain,” while the Conservatives have become “unrecognisable,” over the years.

After falling behind Labour and Reform in recent YouGov voter intention surveys, Badenoch is making an effort to alter public perception of the party in order to regain the trust of centre-right and right wing voters, many of whom could switch to Reform at the next election.

Speaking on the restructure, Farage stated that the Conservatives will lose their status as a national party following the local elections results in May which saw the Conservatives struggle against the new party.

After disappointing results for the Conservatives in the last local election, this reshuffle is a clear attempt to solidify their place as the official opposition, especially in a period of political uncertainty.

Featured image via Fred Duval / Shutterstock.

Reform UK has made waves over the past year. Despite initially only gaining MPs in four constituencies, they received 14 per cent of the national vote – an impressive result for their first election.

After the suspension of Labour MP Mike Amesbury, Reform’s Sarah Pochin won the byelection by just six votes, the closest result in history, to gain the Nigel Farage led party another voice in Westminster.

A background in politics

Although her breakthrough into parliament only occurred last month, Sarah Pochin has been involved in politics since 2015. Previously a member of the Conservative Party, she acted as a councillor in Cheshire East council for eight years and stood to become an MP in Bolton South East in 2017, gaining 29.7 per cent of the vote, eventually losing out to Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi. After a tumultuous time in local government split between time as an independent and with the Conservatives, she eventually revolted to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in 2025.

Runcorn and Helsby: Sarah Pochin wins by six votes

Labour had held the seat of Runcorn and Helsby for more than 40 years, having been one of the party’s safest seats in the past. Even in 2024, Labour candidate Mike Amesbury received over 50 per cent of the vote.

When Amesbury resigned as an MP after being charged with assaulting one of his constituents, a by-election was called, opening the door for a new Reform battleground bound to grab headlines.

Local anger towards Labour’s decision to cut winter fuel payments and disability benefits gave Reform further fuel for their flame, and Sarah Pochin stormed ahead under the rhetoric that the region was ready for change, having had “enough Tory failure” and “enough Labour lies.”

On the day of the vote, she came out on top by the narrowest margin in history, six votes, a major blow to Starmer’s credibility and a much larger win for Reform than it appears on the surface, giving the party credibility in hard-fought electoral races.

Could her victory be overshadowed by yet more Reform controversy?

Reform UK have not been strangers to controversy. From accusations of bullying against Rupert Lowe, to James McMurdock’s jailtime for assault in 2006, the party has gained a reputation for insufficient vetting and a disregard for violent and intimidating behaviour in their candidates.

Reform’s newest MP is no different. For 20 years, Sarah Pochin served as a magistrate in Cheshire, and during this time was accused of using her status to “influence the views of her colleagues in a political context.”

A Reform spokesperson has since defended their newest MP, claiming that the misconduct revealed to the public was, “used by the Conservative Party as a politically motivated attack.” The Conservatives have refused to comment.

Pochin’s ideologies and further division in the party

Like the other Reform MPs, Pochin has recently expressed discontent with the UK’s current approach to immigration.  

Although net migration has decreased by almost 50 per cent since Labour took power in July 2024, the narrative remains in the hands of the parties on the right, with the government’s record on immigration constantly under scrutiny from the Conservatives and Reform.

In her constituency, Sarah Pochin has claimed that illegal immigration is a serious concern, with residents claiming to be terrified to leave their homes.

But Reform’s fifth MP made the headlines again when images surfaced showing her attending a “refugees welcome” event in 2022. She has since said that her support was for asylum seekers only, and not those classed as “illegal,” migrants – since joining, she has consistently echoed Reform’s official anti-immigration stance.

In addition, the recent vote on assisted dying exacerbated the contrasting views of the party. While Sarah Pochin and Richard Tice voted in favour of the bill, the party’s other three MPs voted against it, highlighting their individual views.

Assisted dying was not mentioned in their 2024 manifesto, so whilst neither Pochin nor Tice opposed official party policy, this does show that the party remains divided on a range of issues.

Another high profile case came when Pochin, voting alongside the rest of the party – other than Farage, who was not present – voted against the decriminalisation of abortion in England and Wales, and instead suggested that the window for abortion should be reduced.

Again, there is no mention of abortion in Reform’s manifesto, although Farage has expressed similar views that whilst he is pro-choice, he believes that the 24-week limit is “ludicrous”.

Despite being an MP for less than two months, Sarah Pochin has already started her own controversy, asking at PMQ’s if Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans on banning the burqa for the sake of “public safety.”

The question was welcomed by Reform MP Lee Anderson, who expressed his support for a ban on Twitter, but others in the party, including, chairman Zia Yusuf disaproved with the contentious question, with Yusuf calling the request “dumb,” and resigning just hours after the question was asked.

Two days later, Yusuf returned to work for the party after discussions with Farage, in a new role leading the party’s DOGE team modeled on the Department of Government Efficiency set up by US President Donald Trump.

Upon returning to the party, he said he would support further debates surrounding a ban on the burqa, despite his reluctance days earlier, with Nigel Farage claiming that Yusuf’s decision to step away from leadership was made off the back of racist abuse directed towards him, blaming bots for the racism he received and claiming that it was not the fault of Reform members.

Final thought

Sarah Pochin has made a name for herself in the Reform party. Despite a controversy heavy past and uncertain commitment to Reform policies, her most recent speeches and actions have reflected some of Reforms core principles, with a focus on immigration and conservative social policies.

The fate of the party is currently unclear – their consistent division may be an issue for future elections, however with increasing discontent for both the government and the Conservative party, voters seem to want change.

Whilst we are four years away from the next general election, Reform UK are increasingly shaping the narrative amid a political vacuum, Sarah Pochin’s victory marks another milestone in the party’s journey.

Featured image via ComposedPix / Shutterstock (Left) and HM Government (Right).