UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has unveiled his new Cabinet. Three Indian-origin Labour MPs have secured front-bench roles in the new government.
Kanishka Narayan has been inducted into the Cabinet as the Minister for Artificial Intelligence, while Satvir Kaur and Harpreet Uppal have been appointed to key government roles. The appointments mark a significant rise in representation for Indian-origin lawmakers in the Labour government.
Along with Uma Kumaran, a Hindu MP of Sri Lankan Tamil heritage who has been named a junior minister in the Foreign Office, the front bench now includes two Hindu and two Sikh ministers.
The reshuffle also saw two senior politicians of Indian origin Seema Malhotra, who served as Indo-Pacific minister, and Preet Kaur Gill, the former junior health minister, return to the backbenches. Both were regarded as close allies of former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Among other prominent ministers of Indian heritage, Lisa Nandy, whose father was born in Kolkata, has retained her position as Culture Secretary and continues to sit in the Cabinet.
Lisa Nandy has been appointed as Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport @dcms. pic.twitter.com/NeWPUFiALc
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) July 20, 2026
Who is Kanishka Narayan?
Born in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, Kanishka Narayan moved to Wales with his family at the age of 12. He studied at Eton College, the University of Oxford, and Stanford University before entering politics.
Elected as the Labour MP for Vale of Glamorgan in July 2024, Narayan served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology from September 2025. On July 20, 2026, he was elevated to the newly created post of Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, serving jointly in the Cabinet Office and the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.
Who is Satvir Kaur?
Satvir Kaur, the Labour MP for Southampton Test, was first elected to Parliament in July 2024. Her parents are from Punjab and ran a saree shop in Southampton.
She has been appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Equalities) in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, while also serving as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Home Office. Her portfolio includes safeguarding, violence against women and girls, and equalities.
Kaur previously served as Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet Office from September 7, 2025, to July 22, 2026. She was on maternity leave between September 2025 and February 2026 before returning to government earlier this year.
Who is Harpreet Uppal?
Harpreet Uppal, who represents Huddersfield, has been appointed Assistant Whip. Party whips are responsible for coordinating their party’s parliamentary business and ensuring MPs attend important votes and vote in line with the party’s position.
Uppal was elected as MP in July 2024 and was formally appointed Assistant Whip on July 22, 2026. Before entering Parliament, she worked on Andy Burnham’s Greater Manchester mayoral campaign in 2017.
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