Hilary Benn has been replaced as Northern Ireland secretary after Andy Burnham’s Cabinet reshuffle, with Sir Chris Bryant taking over the post.
Hilary Benn has been removed as Northern Ireland secretary after Andy Burnham’s Cabinet reshuffle, with Sir Chris Bryant stepping into the role. The change comes as the new prime minister reworks his top team and hands Bryant a brief that is already loaded with unfinished business.
Benn, who was appointed in 2024, said on X that it had been a great privilege to serve and to work with the people he had met over the past two years. He thanked staff and said he hoped Bryant would succeed in working with the executive to protect stability, support growth and investment, and move forward on the Troubles Bill. Benn also said he would support Burnham from the back benches.
Bryant brings long experience to the Northern Ireland secretary post. He has been MP for Rhondda and Ogmore since 2001, is a former Anglican priest, and most recently served as trade minister under Starmer’s government. He also served as deputy leader of the Commons during Gordon Brown’s time as prime minister. His appointment follows Benn’s exit at a time when the Northern Ireland brief still carries sensitive political and financial disputes.
Benn’s departure may raise eyebrows because he had only recently begun talks with Stormont parties and Treasury officials in an effort to agree a multi-year budget after months of deadlock. During his time in office, he also pressed the executive to consider revenue-raising options rather than depending on the Treasury. That argument did not gain much traction, and Westminster has stepped in at least once to cover funding gaps. The executive has continued to argue that Northern Ireland is getting a poor financial deal.
One of Labour’s biggest promises on Northern Ireland was to repeal and replace the Troubles legacy act. Parts of the law, including conditional immunity, were ruled unlawful by the courts, and victims and political parties in Northern Ireland had no confidence in it. But replacing it has proved far harder than scrapping it, and the legislation is still before the Commons. The government has yet to publish amendments on protections for veterans or explain how it will win the confidence of victims and survivors. One clear takeaway: Bryant inherits a Northern Ireland file where politics, budgets and legacy issues all still need a deal.
