Ed Miliband has been appointed Foreign Secretary, telling reporters outside Downing Street it was "the honour of my life to be foreign secretary" (BBC News live blog). The remarks, in a video on the BBC's live blog on 20 July 2026, confirm he is leaving his job as Energy Secretary to take charge of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office — the government department that handles Britain's relationships with other countries.

The appointment follows Andy Burnham's election as Labour leader. Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester and a former government minister, is widely expected to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister (BBC News). A Facebook post from Burnham on 17 July quoted him saying: "It's the honour of my life to be Leader of the Labour Party. I will be a leader for every region and nation in this great country" (Facebook).

Miliband's move to the Foreign Office had been expected. The Financial Times had reported a scenario in which, under a Burnham-led government, Miliband would switch from energy to foreign affairs (Financial Times). Speculation about his future role had been building since at least mid-July (renews.biz).

Miliband has been the minister in charge of energy security and the push for net zero — the target to balance the greenhouse gases the UK produces with the amount it removes — since Labour's 2024 election landslide. Before that, he held the same area in the shadow cabinet, the team of opposition MPs who mirror government ministers (BBC News). His most recent work in the energy role came on 7 July 2026, when he answered a question in Parliament about help for people who heat their homes with oil and took part in debates on solar farms and climate change (Hansard). His final written statement as Energy Secretary, "Further and Faster on Clean Power," was issued on 21 April 2026 (Parliament.uk).

The Foreign Office role was most recently held by Yvette Cooper, who was listed as Foreign Secretary in a government press release on 6 July 2026 (gov.uk). The July 2026 list of ministers' interests records David Lammy as Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary and a member of Cabinet; Lammy was appointed to those roles on 5 September 2025 (gov.uk).

The same 20 July live blog reports that John Healey was announced as Chancellor — the government's top finance minister — at 20:06 BST (BBC News live blog). Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch congratulated Healey and said he should ensure the Defence Investment Plan is properly funded, adding that Conservatives would work with him to cut benefits to fund defence. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey responded by proposing "Defence Bonds to invest £20 billion in our sovereign capability" (BBC News live blog).

Miliband's political career spans more than fifteen years at the top of Labour politics. He led the party from 2010 to 2015, winning the leadership contest against his elder brother David Miliband by just 1% of the vote. He resigned after the 2015 election defeat, making way for Jeremy Corbyn, who led the party until 2020. David Miliband left British politics in 2013 to run the International Rescue Committee in New York, having been offered a shadow cabinet role (BBC News).

David Miliband told a London think tank event in late June 2026 that he is optimistic about a potential government led by Andy Burnham (BBC News). Ed Miliband was in Hamburg on 26 January 2026, according to an Associated Press report on Labour leadership contenders (AP News).

The wider political backdrop includes changes earlier in the year. Dame Antonia Romeo was appointed as the first female Cabinet Secretary — the most senior civil servant, who advises the prime minister and runs the civil service — on 19 February 2026, succeeding Sir Chris Wormald (gov.uk). On 20 April 2026, the Prime Minister delivered a statement to Parliament on the appointment of Peter Mandelson (gov.uk). The Chancellor delivered the annual Mansion House speech — a major set-piece address on financial policy — on 14 July 2026 (gov.uk).

For Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which have their own governments (the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, the Welsh Parliament or Senedd, and the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont), foreign affairs and defence are decided at Westminster. So the reshuffle has limited direct impact there. Energy policy, however, is partly shared between Westminster and the devolved governments, meaning Miliband's departure from the Energy role will be watched closely in Edinburgh and Cardiff for what it says about the new government's clean power plans.

The broader question is how Miliband adjusts. He takes on the Foreign Office with deep experience of domestic politics but no previous frontbench role in foreign affairs. His time at Energy was defined by the Green Prosperity Plan, focused on renewable energy, jobs and growth. How that background translates to international climate negotiations and Britain's wider relations abroad will be an early test of the Burnham premiership.