Sir Chris Bryant has been appointed as the new secretary of state for Northern Ireland, stepping into the role following Prime Minister Andy Burnham's recent Cabinet reshuffle. Bryant, the Member of Parliament for Rhondda and Ogmore, replaces Hilary Benn, who had held the position since 2024.
This appointment marks Sir Chris Bryant's first cabinet position. He previously held various shadow frontbench roles under Sir Keir Starmer and Jeremy Corbyn. Benn offered his successor "all the very best in working with the executive to protect stability, continuing to generate growth and investment and in taking forward the Troubles Bill." He also pledged to support Prime Minister Burnham from the back benches.
Benn's departure from the government may come as a surprise, as he had recently commenced discussions with Northern Ireland's Stormont parties and treasury officials. These talks were aimed at reaching an agreement on a multi-year budget following a period of stalemate. The responsibility for concluding this process now falls to his successor, Sir Chris Bryant.