Andy Burnham’s difficult first cabinet – a visual guide to the options and dilemmas

Now that he is confirmed as the next prime minister, how will Andy Burnham fill the other seats around the cabinet table?His allies have said they want the cabinet to look like change – but some players have been such key pieces to the Burnham project that their chances of a ministerial role looks assured, such as the party deputy leader, Lucy Powell, and the former transport secretary Louise Haigh. But the key question will be who he gets in as chancellor. He's unlikely to retain Rachel Reeves ... ... because that would suggest nothing had changed with the departure of Keir Starmer. Some believed Wes Streeting resigned earlier in the year and then did not challenge Burnham in the hope he could become chancellor …... but the political momentum seems not to be with Streeting, who may in fact be glad to get his old job back at health. In order to steady the bond markets, Burnham could pick an old cabinet colleague and experienced hand such as Yvette Cooper.Or he could pick Shabana Mahmood as an independent-minded chancellor laser focused on delivery and on voters' priorities, after her effective if controversial time as home secretary.Mahmood now appears to be the favourite. But with such radical change on the agenda, such as public control of utilities and extensive devolution, Burnham could decide he needs a chancellor who is on board with his political direction. Ed Miliband is the closest to his politics and has been a key architect of his return to parliament. Miliband has Treasury experience – but would he spook the markets?Foreign secretary is another key consideration – when Burnham wants his focus to be domestic. Could he bring back David Miliband as a peer and make him foreign secretary?Or could it be too undemocratic to bring back all the old New Labour throwbacks? And if Burnham seeks to show party unity, foreign secretary could be a good place for Reeves to keep a cabinet role.Streeting could replace Mahmood as home secretary, a role he has long coveted and where he would be likely to pursue a softer migration policy – and switch his attention to tackling crime.And what about the spots for other allies who have helped engineer Burnham’s ascent to No 10, or made way for him in the leadership race. Lisa Nandy, Angela Rayner and Pat McFadden will expect a place round the table. And he may want to keep neutral ministers who are old associates or have performed well - like Yvette Cooper and Bridget Phillipson.As much as the individual choices, the balance of considerations across the whole cabinet may provide a clue to Burham's approach: will he choose a unity cabinet? Or favour his trusted allies in a loyalist cabinet? Opt for a bold radical cabinet?Or choose a cautious cabinet of safe hands and familiar faces?