Timpson’s boss is appointed prisons minister and ‘Dr Doom’ Sir Patrick Vallance becomes science minister, while Keir Starmer reaches out to his new team of MPs to bolster his cabinet

• Former shadow secretary Emily Thornberry has no chance in Keir’s new cabinet

Sir Keir Starmer has appointed new ministers to his Cabinet, making several surprise decisions including appointing James Timpson as Prisons Secretary.

Labour’s historic landslide election victory left a bloodbath in its wake among the Tories, as several key figures from the previous cabinet failed to win over voters.

And as a new Cabinet heads to Downing Street and a number of shadow ministers receive promotions, some Cabinet decisions have raised eyebrows.

James Timpson, the chief executive of his father’s Timpsons shoe chain, was appointed as the new Minister for Prisons, Parole and Probation at the new prime minister’s appointment ceremony shortly after 3pm.

Another recognisable face in Starmer’s new team is Sir Patrick Vallance, who has served as chief scientific adviser during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Currently serving as Minister of State for Science, the 64-year-old earned the nickname “Doctor Doom” during the pandemic as he was the face of SAGE’s grim predictions.

Both he and Sir Patrick were knighted by the new Prime Minister.

Who sits in Keir’s cabinet?

• Angela Rayner – Deputy Prime Minister, Equal Opportunities, Secretary for Housing and Communities
• Rachel Reeves – Chancellor of the Exchequer
• David Lammy – Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Yvette Cooper – Home secretary
• John Healey – Secretary of Defense
• Wes Streeting – Secretary of Health
• Bridget Phillipson – Secretary of Education
• Shaban Mahmood – Secretary of Justice
• Pat McFadden – Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
• Ed Miliband – Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero Emissions
• Liz Kendall – Work and Pensions Secretary
• Jonathan Reynolds – Secretary of Business and Trade
• Peter Kyle – Secretary for Science, Innovation and Technology
• Louise Haigh – Secretary of Transport
• Lisa Nandy – Secretary of Culture
• Steve Reed – Secretary for the Environment
• Darren Jones – Principal Secretary of the Treasury
• Richard Hermer – Attorney General
• Ian Murray – Scottish Secretary
• Hilary Benn – Northern Ireland Secretary
• Jo Stevens – Secretary for Wales
• Lucy Powell – Leader of the House of Commons
• Baroness Smith – Leader of the House of Lords
• Sir Alan Campbell – Boss’s whip

Although Mr Timpson’s newly-acquired OBE has seen him recognised for his work with ex-convicts and his passion for business.

Until 2016, Boss Timpson was chairman of the Employers’ Forum to Reduce Recidivism (EFFRR) and is now praised for his programmes aimed at rehabilitating offenders.

In the same year he became chairman of the Prison Reform Trust, setting up a network of employment advisory boards across the country to improve the employment opportunities of former prisoners.

For his exceptionally active work on employment and training for disadvantaged people, the new member of the cabinet was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 2011.

Namely, the general manager of a retail store employed former prisoners in branches of the family business with the goal of rehabilitating them.

According to The Mirror, the British company has already employed 600 ex-offenders across the country.

In 2019, he told the newspaper: “If you hire an ex-offender, a long-term unemployed person, a veteran, a care leaver or a disabled person, the employer should not pay National Insurance contributions for the first 12 months.”

Since 2002, the Managing Director has been actively involved in the day-to-day running of the family business, growing the company’s profits from £3 million to over £20 million.

His business successes have been widely recognised and Timpson has received numerous awards, including being named the David Goldman Visiting Professor of Innovation for 2012/13 at Newcastle University Business School for inspiring business-minded people.

At the end of 2015, he served as ambassador to the then Prince of Wales – King Charles – responsible for interests in the north-west of England.

Respected for his business acumen, Mr Timpson was one of five co-chairs of the board that advised Theresa May on creating the optimal business environment after Brexit.

He was re-appointed a Tate Trustee three years ago.

Several Labour ministers headed to Downing Street this morning to collect their new mail-stuffed trays following their historic victory.

As meetings began at 3pm, Angela Rayner strolled along the cobbled streets of Downing Street in a bright green suit as she prepared to take up her duties as deputy prime minister and equal opportunities secretary.

Rachel Reeves has become the UK’s first female Chancellor of the Exchequer, David Lammy has been appointed as the new Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper as the new Home Secretary and Wes Streeting as the new Health Secretary.

All benefited from introductory tours of their new Whitehall departments, as they met officials. But they were immediately challenged by the myriad of crises they will face in the coming weeks and months.

Union leaders tonight demanded that Mr Streeting come forward with a “credible” offer to end the junior doctors’ pay row as they eye a 35 per cent pay rise.

Mr Lammy pledged to support an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza after witnessing a negative electoral reaction in some parts of the country to Labour’s stance on the Middle East conflict.

In a speech to Treasury staff, Ms Reeves promised her “primary task” would be to boost Britain’s economic growth.

Ms Cooper has pledged to set up a new “Border Protection Command” to tackle the Channel migrant crisis, while preparing to reject the Conservatives’ plan to deport Rwandans.

While many newly appointed ministers were keen to jump into the deep end, Sir Starmer decided there was no place for Emily Thornberry in his government.

Although he has loyally served as Shadow Attorney General for the past few years, Starmer has chosen Richard Hermer KC as his Attorney General, giving him a knighthood.

The decision comes after Ms Thornberry embarrassed Sir Keir during the election campaign by admitting that Labour’s plan to charge VAT on private school fees risked increasing class sizes in the state sector.

More than three-quarters of the prime minister’s top team are likely to be state-educated when the line-up is finalised.

Starmer’s first act in Downing Street was to introduce working-class ministers into his cabinet.

Of the 650 MPs present, 63% had a state education – the highest percentage in history.