India, July 20 -- Andy Burnham swept aside weeks of speculation about his Treasury pick on Monday by appointing former Defence Secretary John Healey as Chancellor of the Exchequer, a choice that confounded Westminster's forecasters, cleared out virtually every senior Starmer-era loyalist from cabinet, and signalled the new prime minister's determination to be beholden to nobody's expectations but his own.

Healey has been appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer as Andy Burnham carried out a major shake-up at the top of government, replacing Rachel Reeves, who was axed from cabinet along with a host of other Keir Starmer allies.

The appointment announced Monday evening defied a week of near-universal speculation that had focused on Home Sec...