State or private school? The education backgrounds of the new cabinet
The new cabinet breaks records when it comes to the number of ministers and secretaries of state who went to comprehensive school. Sky News looks at the educational background of each of Sir Keir Starmer's new top team.
Tuesday 9 July 2024 16:34, UK
The new Labour cabinet has a record number of state-educated ministers.聽
Out of 25 cabinet members, just one went to private school and one to grammar, with the remainder - 92% - attending comprehensive school, according to analysis by The Sutton Trust.
By comparison, in the cabinets of Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss just 19% of ministers were state educated.
About 6% of children in the UK go to private school, meaning this cabinet closely reflects the educational experiences of the general public.
But that starts to diverge when you look at higher education, with 40% of cabinet ministers having studied at Oxbridge, compared to less than 1% of the UK population.
Sky News looks at the educational background of each of Sir Keir Starmer's new top team.
Sir Keir Starmer, prime minister
School type: Grammar
Sir Keir studied law at the University of Leeds before gaining his postgraduate degree at Oxford.
His school was a selective state school when he joined and his place was state-funded throughout his time there, but became a private school two years into his time there.
Read more:
Keir Starmer: From high-flying barrister to government
Meet Victoria Starmer, the new prime minister's wife
Angela Rayner, deputy prime minister and levelling up secretary
School type: Comprehensive
Ms Rayner did not go to university. She left school at 16 with no qualifications when she was pregnant with her first son.
After giving birth, Ms Rayner went to college part-time, studying British sign language and social care.
Read more: The story behind the new deputy PM
Rachel Reeves, chancellor
School type: Comprehensive
She read philosophy, politics and economics (PPE) at the University of Oxford before gaining a master's in economics from the London School of Economics (LSE).
Ms Reeves was educated at an all-girls comprehensive school in Beckenham, south London, which she said "really believed" in her and "gave me everything I needed to get on".
She described herself as "swot", revealing she did SATs exams in her free time after her school boycotted them.
Read more: Rachel Reeves - Chess champion to treasury
Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
School type: Comprehensive
Mr McFadden studied politics at Edinburgh University.
David Lammy, foreign secretary
School type: Comprehensive
Mr Lammy studied law at SOAS and later became the first black Briton to attend Harvard Law School, where he gained a master of laws degree.
He has condemned Oxford University for not accepting enough black and ethnic minority students.
Read more: All you need to know about David Lammy
Yvette Cooper, home secretary
School type: Comprehensive
Ms Cooper read PPE at Oxford University and was then awarded a Kennedy Scholarship to study at Harvard University.
She finished her studies with a master's in economics at LSE.
John Healey, defence secretary
School type: Comprehensive; independent sixth form college
Mr Healey was mostly educated at a comprehensive but went to a private school for his last two years.
He then studied social and political science at the University of Cambridge.
Shabana Mahmood, justice secretary
School type: Comprehensive; grammar for sixth form college
Ms Mahmood failed the 11-plus exam that would have granted her a place at grammar school, instead attending the local comprehensive.
But she has said she remained a "full-blown geek", and she went to a grammar school after GCSEs.
She studied law at the University of Oxford.
Wes Streeting, health secretary
School type: Comprehensive
Mr Streeting studied history at Cambridge University.
Read more: Who is Wes Streeting
Bridget Phillipson, education secretary
School type: Comprehensive
Ms Phillipson's family grew up in a council house, and she has described being "bullied at school" because "parents didn't want their children mixing with people like me".
She went to drama school on the weekends, which landed her a role as an extra in the TV series Byker Grove.
She studied modern history at the University of Oxford, where she became co-chair of the university Labour club.
Read more: Bridget Phillipson - Bullied at school and rotten windows
Read more:
Who's who in Keir Starmer's inner circle
What to expect from the government's first 100 days
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Ed Miliband, energy secretary
School type: Comprehensive
Mr Miliband read PPE at University of Oxford and then gained a master's in economics at LSE.
Liz Kendall, work and pensions secretary
School type: Comprehensive
Ms Kendall went to Watford Grammar School - which despite its name is only partially selective. She was at school with former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell.
She went on to study history at the University of Cambridge.
Jonathan Reynolds, business and trade secretary
School type: Comprehensive
Mr Reynolds studied politics and modern history at the University of Manchester.
He later enrolled in law school as a mature student, gaining a graduate diploma in law (GDL) and legal practice course (LPC) at BPP Law School in Manchester.
Peter Kyle, science, innovation and technology secretary
School type: Comprehensive
Having struggled with severe undiagnosed dyslexia at school, Mr Kyle went to university aged 25 after encouragement from a colleague at the Body Shop.
At the University of Sussex he was diagnosed with dyslexia and ultimately gained a PhD in community economic development.
Louise Haigh, transport secretary
School type: Private
Ms Haigh went to Sheffield High School, an independent school.
She studied government and economics at LSE but did not finish the course, going on to graduate with a degree in politics from the University of Nottingham.
Steve Reed, environment, food and rural affairs secretary
School type: Comprehensive
Mr Reed studied English at the University of Sheffield - the first member of his family to go to university.
Lisa Nandy, culture, media and sport secretary
School type: Comprehensive
Ms Nandy studied politics at Newcastle University before gaining a master's in public policy at Birkbeck, University of London.
Hilary Benn, Northern Ireland secretary
School type: Comprehensive
Mr Benn graduated in Russian and Eastern European Studies from the University of Sussex.
Ian Murray, Scottish secretary
School type: Comprehensive
Mr Murray gained an honours degree in social policy and law from the University of Edinburgh.
Jo Stevens, Welsh secretary
School type: Comprehensive
Ms Stevens studied law at Manchester University before completing the solicitors' professional examination at Manchester Polytechnic.
Lucy Powell, leader of the House of Commons
School type: Comprehensive
Ms Powell studied chemistry at the University of Oxford and King's College London.
Angela Smith, leader of the House of Lords
School type: Comprehensive
Baroness Smith graduated with a BA in public administration from Leicester Polytechnic.
Alan Campbell, chief whip
School type: Comprehensive
Mr Campbell studied politics at Lancaster University and then gained a PGCE from the University of Leeds.
He finished his education at Newcastle Polytechnic, gaining a master's in history.
Darren Jones, chief secretary to the Treasury
School type: Comprehensive
Mr Jones studied human bioscience at Plymouth University, where he was elected president of the students' union.
Richard Hermer, attorney general
School type: Comprehensive
Mr Hermer studied politics and modern history at the University of Manchester.