The second Sirimavo Bandaranaike cabinet saw Ceylon severing the last colonial ties with Britain as the country became a parliamentary republic in May 1972.

Policies were introduced requiring that permanent secretaries in the government ministries have expertise in their division.

The changes were intended to remove elements of British colonisation and foreign influence from the country's institutions.

Key members of the LSSP were given cabinet roles, including Leslie Goonewardene, N. M. Perera, Colvin R. de Silva and others.

The LSSP was dismissed from the cabinet by Bandaranaike in September 1975, ending the United Front, and in February 1972 the Communist Party also left the government.