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Non-lawyer new British justice minister

New British prime minister Andy Burnham has appointed a non-lawyer to the post of lord chancellor and secretary of state for justice.

Alex Norris MP is a former trade union official who served as minister for border security and asylum in the Home Office under previous prime minister Keir Starmer.

Burnham, who took over as Labour leader from Starmer, also named Ellie Reeves KC as attorney general, a promotion from her role as solicitor general under Starmer.

Lay head of judiciary

The appointments follow the dismissal of David Lammy and Lord Hermer following Burnham's assumption of office yesterday (20 July).

The England-and-Wales Gazette says that the appointment of a lay lord chancellor and head of the judiciary returns to a practice established by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government with the appointment of Chris Grayling in 2012.

He was succeeded by Michael Gove, Liz Truss, and David Lidington before the post reverted to being held by lawyers.

Meanwhile, Chris Bryant MP has replaced Hilary Benn as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.