Jewish former Labour leader Ed Miliband tapped as new British foreign secretary

New UK PM Burnham shakes up cabinet, purging Starmer loyalists, signaling tack to left; Miliband led party from 2010 to 2015, when he lost election; criticized Israel’s Gaza policy

Former Labour party leader Ed Miliband was appointed the UK’s next foreign secretary, new British PM Andy Burnham’s office announced on Monday, his first day in office.

Following several years in the political wilderness after he resigned his role in 2015 following an election loss, Miliband, Labour’s first Jewish leader, has staged a gradual political comeback.

Burnham made the announcement as he purged the cabinet of predecessor Keir Starmer’s loyalists and signaled a shift to the left, promising a 10-year plan to tackle cost-of-living issues.

Britain needed to show the world it could “regain stability,” the premier said outside his new official residence at 10 Downing Street, vowing to create “a new political model” and “build a new economy.”

He worked swiftly to stamp his authority on the new government by sacking several Starmer loyalists from his cabinet and reshuffling other ministers who served under the previous government.

Ex-defense secretary John Healey replaced Rachel Reeves as finance minister.

The previous foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, will remain in the cabinet as secretary of state for health and social care. Deputy Prime Minster David Lammy, who previously served as foreign secretary under Starmer, will leave his position.

Miliband, who was energy secretary under Starmer, has had a winding career in British politics, having served as the head of Labour for five years beginning in 2010, before stepping down following the party’s heavy defeat in the 2015 elections.

On his watch, the party’s support among Jewish voters collapsed, after holding strong during the Tony Blair and Gordon Brown Labour governments. Miliband took a critical stance toward Israel during the 2014 Gaza war and pushed a vote in parliament backing unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, while the party was criticized as being slow to condemn rising antisemitism at home.

Miliband has remained hugely popular with party members and highly influential within the Starmer government.

He has also become increasingly close to Burnham — the man he beat to the Labour leadership in 2010 and who went on to loyally serve in his shadow cabinet for five years.

Miliband’s older brother, David, also served as Britain’s foreign secretary, taking the role from 2007 to 2010 under then-Labour leader Brown.

In addition, Burnham appointed Shabana Mahmood to her post as interior minister to see through her hardline reforms of Britain’s asylum system.

JTA contributed to this report.