EAM Jaishankar congratulates new UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, says look forward to working together to continue Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
Yvette Cooper is the new UK Foreign Secretary, and India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has congratulated her on her appointment. In a friendly message on social media, Jaishankar expressed his excitement about working with her to strengthen the India-UK partnership. He wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Congratulations to Yvette Cooper MP on becoming UK’s Foreign Secretary. Looking forward to continuing the strong India-UK strategic partnership.”
Yvette Cooper, a veteran politician from the Labour Party, took over the role from David Lammy. Prime Minister Keir Starmer quickly reshuffled his cabinet to bring in Cooper, 56, who is also serving as Justice Secretary now. She replaces Lammy, who has been serving as UK’s top diplomat since the Labour party won the election last year, and is now stepping into the role of Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister after Angela Rayner’s exit.
Born in Inverness and raised in Hampshire, Cooper studied philosophy, politics, and economics at Oxford University. She also got a scholarship to Harvard in 1991. Her political journey started with working on Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign and later working in the office of Labour leader John Smith.
Although Cooper was mainly a domestic politician before, she has a lot of experience in government. She has served as Home Secretary, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and Work and Pensions Secretary. Recently, she has been working on agreements with France and Germany to fight illegal migration, especially the small boat crossings into the UK. Her move from the Home Office comes as Prime Minister Starmer focuses on reducing the number of migrants arriving in small boats — a key issue for his government.
Cooper’s career has been full of firsts. In 2001, she was the first minister to take maternity leave, and in 2008, she became the first woman to serve as Chief Secretary to the Treasury. She is also part of the first married couple to serve together in the UK Cabinet, a notable milestone.
Yvette Cooper’s appointment as Foreign Secretary is seen as a significant political move for the UK, especially as she now takes on one of the most important diplomatic roles. Her experience and dedication make her a prominent figure in UK politics, and her work will now include representing her country on the global stage.
