LONDON: New Prime Minister Keir Starmer named Rachel Reeves as Britain’s first female finance minister and Angela Rayner as his deputy on Friday as he began putting together the team that will help him try to deliver on a promise rebuild the country.

Reeves, 45, a former Bank of England economist, spent her time serving in opposition mending relations with the business community that were strained under left-wing former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, and pitching to voters that the party could be trusted with their money.

Starmer appointed David Lammy as Britain’s new foreign minister and John Healey as defence minister, while Yvette Cooper becomes interior minister, known as home secretary, overseeing domestic security and policing.