Andy Burnham names Chris Bryant as Northern Ireland Secretary, replacing Hilary Benn in late-night reshuffle

The appointment

Prime Minister Andy Burnham named Chris Bryant, the MP for Rhondda and Ogmore and a former minister for trade and labour, as the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. The announcement came just after 11pm on Monday, 20 July 2026, capping a day of cabinet appointments that followed Burnham's takeover from Keir Starmer earlier that day. Bryant's appointment was confirmed after it emerged that Hilary Benn would not be continuing in the post.

Benn's departure

Benn announced his exit in a statement on X, describing his two years in the role as "a great privilege." He pledged his "full support from the backbenches" to the new prime minister and wished his successor well in working with the Stormont executive to protect stability, generate growth and investment, and advance the Troubles Bill.

It has been a great privilege to serve as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and to work with the many wonderful people I have met over the last 2 years.

Benn had been appointed by former prime minister Keir Starmer after the 2024 general election, becoming the first Labour holder of the post in 14 years. His removal was regarded as a surprise in Northern Ireland, where only earlier in July he had begun a programme of work with the UK Treasury and Northern political parties over a public-services funding crisis and the executive's failure to agree a multiyear budget.

Reaction in Dublin and Belfast

Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee thanked Benn for his "deep commitment to Northern Ireland, and to the UK-Ireland relationship more broadly." She credited his approach with enabling both governments to reach agreement in September 2025 on the Joint Framework on the Legacy of the Troubles, the first comprehensive accord on the issue in more than a decade.

He approached his role with purpose and understanding, and with a clear wish to make things better for all the people of Northern Ireland.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson called Benn an "honourable man" and acknowledged the effort Benn had put into tackling legacy issues, while noting significant disagreements on legacy, the Windsor Framework, and the need for more decisive government action in Northern Ireland's interests. Robinson stressed that whoever succeeded Benn must work constructively with all parties and strengthen Northern Ireland's place within the United Kingdom.

Legacy and unfinished business

Benn was regarded as a skilled political operator who oversaw improved relations between the Irish and British governments and the replacement of the UK's discredited Legacy Act with the new joint framework agreed by Dublin and London in 2025. However, he faced criticism over efforts to amend the resulting legislation to support British army veterans and over his decision not to grant a public inquiry into the murder of GAA official Seán Brown. Months into his tenure, Benn had urged the Stormont executive to consider revenue-raising measures rather than relying solely on Treasury support, a plea that went unheeded as Westminster stepped in on at least one occasion to bridge budgetary gaps.

The wider reshuffle

Burnham's cabinet reshuffle on Monday also saw former Labour leader Ed Miliband appointed foreign secretary and Louise Haigh, a former shadow Northern Ireland secretary, named chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Benn, who remains MP for Leeds South, becomes the most senior Starmer-era minister to leave the cabinet in Burnham's first round of appointments.