Find out who made the cut
Keir Starmer has concluded his reshuffle of the shadow cabinet today, which turned out to be much more extensive than most predicted. Here’s a full run down of the new positions.
Who’s new?
There are a small number of MPs who have been promoted to the shadow cabinet as part of Starmer’s reshuffle.
Hilary Benn has been appointed to the shadow cabinet for the first time since he resigned as Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow foreign secretary in 2016. He’s now taking on the role of shadow Northern Ireland secretary.
Liz Kendall had been serving as a junior minister since 2020. Now, she’s in the shadow cabinet for the first time since 2015, being appointed as shadow work and pensions secretary.
Darren Jones has made a name for himself for his powerful select committee performances. He’s entering the shadow cabinet for the first time as shadow chief secretary to the treasury.
Ellie Reeves has been appointed to the shadow cabinet as deputy national campaign coordinator for the Labour Party. Since 2021, Reeves had been a shadow junior prisons minister.
Who’s being moved around?
The most extensive part of the reshuffle has been the moves between shadow cabinet portfolios.
Angela Rayner’s move is the one that’s been making the headlines. She’s replaced Lisa Nandy as shadow levelling up secretary.
Nandy has therefore been shifted out of that portfolio and will now be shadow cabinet minister for international development.
Shabana Mahmood has replaced Steve Reed as justice secretary, with Reed moving to the environment brief.
Mahmood had previously been Labour’s national campaigns coordinator. She’s being replaced in that role by Pat McFadden (who vacated chief secretary to the treasury for Darren Jones). McFadden is also taking on shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster – a position Rayner was holding.
With Kendall taking on the work and pensions brief, Jon Ashworth has been moved over to be shadow paymaster general.
Thangam Debbonaire and Lucy Powell have swapped places. Debbonaire has been appointed shadow culture secretary, and Powell is now shadow leader of the House of Commons.
With Hilary Benn taking on the Northern Ireland brief, Peter Kyle has been shuffled over to become shadow science secretary.
Nick Thomas-Symonds has been moved once again. This time, he’s been appointed minister without portfolio in the cabinet office following Rishi Sunak’s decision to abolish the Department for International Trade.
Who’s out?
There have been relatively few shadow cabinet members who’ve been dropped altogether.
Jim McMahon was the first to go, announcing his resignation as environment secretary this morning.
Rosenna Allin-Khan stepped down as shadow cabinet minister for mental health, saying in her resignation letter that Starmer does not “see a space for a mental health portfolio in a Labour cabinet”.
Preet Gill, who had been who had the international development brief before Nandy’s appointment has not been given another cabinet post.
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward
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