UK Cabinet: 3 Indian-origin MPs join UK PM Andy Burnham's front bench; Kanishka Narayan gets AI portfolio

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has unveiled his new ministerial team, with three Indian-origin Labour MPs securing key positions in the government. The appointments strengthen the representation of Indian-origin lawmakers in the Labour administration, with Kanishka Narayan taking charge of the newly created Artificial Intelligence portfolio.

Narayan has been appointed Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, serving jointly in the Cabinet Office and the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. He is joined by Satvir Kaur, who has been named Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Equalities), and Harpreet Uppal, who has been appointed Assistant Whip.

The reshuffle also sees Uma Kumaran, a Hindu MP of Sri Lankan Tamil heritage, join the government as a junior minister in the Foreign Office. Together with Narayan and Kaur, the front bench now includes two Hindu and two Sikh ministers.

Meanwhile, Lisa Nandy, whose father was born in Kolkata, has retained her Cabinet position as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

However, the reshuffle also marked the exit of two senior Indian-origin ministers from the government front bench. Seema Malhotra, who served as Indo-Pacific minister, and Preet Kaur Gill, the former junior health minister, have returned to the backbenches.

Who is Kanishka Narayan?

Born in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, Kanishka Narayan moved to Wales with his family at the age of 12. An alumnus of Eton College, the University of Oxford and Stanford University, he was elected Labour MP for Vale of Glamorgan in 2024.

Before his latest appointment, Narayan served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. His elevation to the AI portfolio reflects the growing importance the UK government is placing on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

Satvir Kaur and Harpreet Uppal

Satvir Kaur, MP for Southampton Test, has been entrusted with responsibilities spanning equalities, safeguarding, violence against women and girls, and related issues across the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Home Office.

Harpreet Uppal, MP for Huddersfield, has been appointed Assistant Whip, a role that involves coordinating the government's legislative agenda and ensuring party discipline during parliamentary votes.

The latest appointments underscore the growing prominence of Indian-origin politicians in British public life, with several now holding influential positions across the UK government's Cabinet and ministerial ranks.

Who's in and who's out

UK PM Andy Burnham earlier this week carried out an extensive cabinet reshuffle, signaling a decisive move toward the Labour Party's left wing.

Who's in

• John Healey (Chancellor): Former defence secretary appointed Chancellor, bringing decades of Treasury and government experience.
• Shabana Mahmood (Home Secretary): Retains the Home Office portfolio with a focus on immigration, policing and crime.
• Ed Miliband (Foreign Secretary): Moves to the Foreign Office to lead Britain's diplomatic and international agenda.
• Yvette Cooper (Health Secretary): Takes charge of health and social care, with adult care reform among her key priorities.
• Pat McFadden (Work and Pensions Secretary): Continues efforts to reform the welfare system while managing rising costs.
• Louise Haigh (Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster): Returns to Cabinet to coordinate government operations as Burnham's senior deputy.
• Wes Streeting (Defence Secretary): Takes over the defence portfolio amid heightened global security challenges.
• Angela Eagle (Environment Secretary): Assumes responsibility for environmental and climate-related policies.
• Miatta Fahnbulleh (Energy Secretary): Charged with reducing energy bills while advancing the UK's net-zero goals.
• Alex Norris (Justice Secretary): Promoted to lead the Justice Ministry despite having a relatively low national profile.
• Heidi Alexander (Transport Secretary): Retains the transport portfolio to oversee public transport and infrastructure projects.
• Jonathan Reynolds (Business Secretary): Returns to the business brief to drive industrial growth, science and investment.
• Angela Rayner (Housing Secretary): Returns to lead housing policy and plans for large-scale council house construction.
• Lucy Powell (Education Secretary): Takes charge of education while remaining a key ally of the Prime Minister.
• Lisa Nandy (Culture Secretary): Retains the culture portfolio, overseeing media, broadcasting and digital policy.
• Ellie Reeves (Attorney General): Promoted from Solicitor General to become the government's chief legal adviser.
• Anneliese Midgley (Chief Whip): Appointed to enforce party discipline and manage government business in Parliament.
• Emma Reynolds (Chief Secretary to the Treasury): Joins the Treasury team with a focus on public finances and business engagement.
• Douglas Alexander (Scotland Secretary): Continues overseeing the UK government's relations with Scotland.
• Chris Bryant (Northern Ireland Secretary): Takes charge of Northern Ireland affairs in his first Cabinet role.
• Stephen Kinnock (Wales Secretary): Makes his Cabinet debut as Secretary of State for Wales.
• Alan Campbell (Leader of the House of Commons): Retains responsibility for steering the government's legislative agenda through Parliament.

Who's out 

• Rachel Reeves (Former Chancellor): Leaves the Treasury after two years, with critics blaming key fiscal decisions for Labour's political troubles.
• David Lammy (Former Foreign Secretary): Exits the Cabinet after serving as foreign secretary and later deputy prime minister under Keir Starmer.
• Darren Jones (Former Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister): Dropped from the Cabinet despite playing a central role in No. 10's policy and reform agenda.
• Steve Reed (Former Housing Secretary): Returns to the backbenches after serving as one of Starmer's most loyal Cabinet ministers.
• Peter Kyle (Former Business Secretary): Leaves the Cabinet after overseeing business, trade and technology during a key period.
• Richard Hermer (Former Attorney General): Steps down after serving as the government's chief legal adviser and one of Starmer's closest allies.
• Liz Kendall (Former Science and Technology Secretary): Exits the Cabinet following her stint overseeing the science and technology portfolio.
• Jo Stevens (Former Wales Secretary): Leaves the government after leading the Wales Office since Labour entered power.
• Hilary Benn (Former Northern Ireland Secretary): Returns to the backbenches after serving as Northern Ireland secretary in the Starmer government.