Anneliese Dodds attends Keir Starmer's first cabinet meeting

The Prime Minister appointed his top team on Friday after sweeping to an historic victory at the polls, making only minor changes to the shadow cabinet that existed before the election.

The Labour Party retained its seat in Oxford East in the General Election with Ms Dodds managing to secure 19,541 votes, giving it a majority of 14,465.

READ MORE: Dem-olition - celebrations as Oxfordshire political map transformed

During the cabinet meeting, Ms Dodds sat in front of a place card reading minister of state for development, however, this post has not yet been officially announced.

(Image: PA)

Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, had been shadowing the role previously.

Ms Dodds has been replaced as Labour party chair by Ellie Reeves as she is set to take on a new development brief.

The Oxford East MP served as the party chair for the last three years.

Ms Reeves was previously deputy national campaign co-ordinator for Labour, deputising for Pat McFadden in overseeing the party’s election campaigning.

In a statement issued on Sunday morning, the MP for Oxford East said: “It has been an honour to serve as party chair for the last three years, getting the Labour Party back in the service of working people and meeting so many dedicated Labour members right across the country

“Many congratulations to Ellie Reeves, who I know will do a brilliant job.”

Ms Reeves, whose sister is Chancellor Rachel Reeves, said: “Delighted that the Prime Minister has appointed me Labour Party chair and minister of State without portfolio in the cabinet office.

“It is an honour to serve.”

During Saturday's cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister told his top team it had been “the honour and the privilege of my life” to be invited by the King to form the Government after sweeping to a historic victory at the polls.

Flanked by his deputy Angela Rayner and cabinet secretary Simon Case, he said: “Look, colleagues, it is absolutely fantastic to welcome you to the Cabinet, our first meeting.

“And it was the honour and privilege of my life to be invited by the King, His Majesty the King, yesterday to form a Government and to form the Labour Government of 2024.

“And now we hold our first cabinet meeting. So I welcome you to it.

“We have a huge amount of work to do, so now we get on with our work.”

The remarks were met with loud applause by cabinet ministers who Sir Keir appointed on Friday and largely mirror his shadow team before the election.

The Prime Minister confirmed Rachel Reeves as the UK’s first female chancellor, Angela Rayner as his deputy and Housing Secretary and Pat McFadden as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

David Lammy was named Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper Home Secretary, John Healey Defence Secretary, Wes Streeting Health Secretary and Bridget Phillipson Education Secretary.

Sir Keir Starmer speaks during a press conference in 10 Downing Street (Image: PA)

Shabana Mahmood and Ed Miliband will retain their briefs of justice and energy respectively, but former attorney general Emily Thornberry was replaced by barrister Richard Hermer KC.

The cabinet met in Downing Street with Sir Keir set to face questions from journalists later on Saturday in his first press conference as Prime Minister.

Other ministerial appointments are expected to be announced over the weekend, with Mr McFadden saying Sir Keir will move quickly to allocate responsibilities ahead of the Nato summit.

Sir Keir will make his debut on the international stage as Britain’s premier when he flies to Washington DC for the gathering next week, which is expected to include discussions on support for Ukraine.

He is also due to host the European Political Community summit in the UK on July 18.

It comes after Sir Keir promised “the work of change begins immediately” after leading Labour to a landslide victory at the General Election on Friday.

Labour won 412 seats and the Tories 121, marking the worst result in Conservative history.

In his first speech in Downing Street, Sir Keir pledged to usher in an era marked by “stability and moderation” as he told voters “My Government will serve you” whether or not they backed his party.

After a low turnout at the polls, he spoke of the need to rebuild trust in the political system after 14 years of Tory rule marred by the partygate scandal and the chaos of Conservative infighting.

Labour’s vote share also suggests the new Government is unlikely to enjoy much of a honeymoon period, with around 34 per cent of the electorate backing the party – less than Jeremy Corbyn secured in 2017.