UK PM appoints Ed Miliband as foreign secretary

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham appointed former Labour leader Ed Miliband as the United Kingdom's new foreign secretary on July 20, 2026, a move that has drawn immediate criticism from political opponents and raised questions about the future of the U.S.-U.K. relationship. Miliband, who previously served as energy secretary, replaces Yvette Cooper in the senior cabinet role.

The appointment has prompted warnings from allies of U.S. President Donald Trump, who view Miliband as a critic of the American administration and its policies. Miliband described Trump in starkly personal terms during the 2016 presidential campaign, calling him a "racist, misogynistic, self-confessed groper." In a November 2024 interview, Miliband acknowledged his past comments but stated his role as a government minister was to work with people. Policy differences also extend to energy, where Miliband, as a former energy secretary, championed net-zero policies and opposed new North Sea oil and gas licenses, positions at odds with the Trump administration's push for increased fossil fuel production.

President Trump spoke with Prime Minister Burnham shortly after Burnham took office, calling the...