Keir Starmer hails Labour as 'a serious party of Government' after shadow cabinet reshuffle
Sir Keir Starmer has hailed Labour as "a serious party of government, ready to fix the mess the Tories have got the country" as he announced his full shadow cabinet reshuffle.
The Labour party leader said: "With this reshuffle, we are a smaller, more focused shadow cabinet that mirrors the shape of the government we are shadowing.
"We must hold the Conservative government to account on behalf of the public and demonstrate that we are the right choice to form the next government."
Earlier on Monday Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner appeared to have been blindsided by the reshuffle.
The MP for Ashton-under-Lyne said she had not been aware the move was happening and had not been consulted.
One standout from the reshuffle is Yvette Cooper's return to the frontbench. Ms Cooper, a long-standing MP, former cabinet minister and the current chairwoman of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, has become shadow home secretary and will take on Priti Patel over the migrant crisis.
She tweeted: “Looking forward to getting to work as @UKLabour Shadow Home Secretary, working with @Keir_Starmer & building on the work done by @NickTorfaen. “We want our communities & country to be strong, safe & secure. The Home Office is badly letting people down. Much to do.”
An ability to cut through with the public is what Keir Starmer is hoping new additions to his top team will bring, ITV News Political Correspondent Romilly Weeks reports
Meanwhile, Wes Streeting was appointed as shadow health secretary just four months after he returned to frontbench duties after being declared cancer-free by doctors. He said he was “delighted” with his new role, adding “this year the NHS saved my life”.
Streeting replaces Jonathan Ashworth, who has moved to shadow work and pensions secretary.
Ashworth tweeted: “It’s been an immense privilege to serve the nation as shadow health secretary these last two years of the pandemic. But in September I passed Robin Cook’s 87-92 record and became the longest serving Labour shadow health secretary in history. It’s right moment for new challenge!"
Labour's shadow cabinet in full:
Angela Rayner - Deputy Leader, Shadow First Secretary of State, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Shadow Secretary of State for the Future of Work
Rachel Reeves - Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
Jonathan Reynolds - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Industrial Strategy (moved to the role)
Ed Miliband - Shadow Secretary of State of Climate Change and Net Zero (moved to role)
Lisa Nandy - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing, Communities & Local government (move from Shadow Foreign Secretary)
John Healey - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
Lucy Powell - Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Bridget Phillipson - Shadow Secretary of State for Education (moved to role)
Jim McMahon - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
David Lammy - Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Affairs (moved to role)
Wes Streeting - Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (moved to role)
Yvette Cooper - Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department (return to front benches)
Nick Thomas-Symonds - Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department
Jenny Chapman - Shadow Minister of State at the Cabinet Office
Steve Reed - Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
Louise Haigh - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
Anneliese Dodds - Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities, Party Chair and Chair of Labour Policy Review
Jonathan Ashworth - Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (moved from Health Secretary)
Emily Thornberry - Shadow Attorney General
Rosena Allin-Khan - Shadow Cabinet Minister for Mental Health
Preet Gill - Shadow Cabinet Minister for International Development
Pat McFadden - Shadow Chief Secretary to HM Treasury
Jo Stevens - Shadow Secretary of State for Wales (moved from shadow culture secretary)
Ian Murray - Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
Peter Kyle - Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Shabana Mahmood - National Campaign Coordinator
Thangam Debbonaire - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Alan Campbell - Shadow Chief Whip
Angela Smith - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
Roy Kennedy - Opposition Chief Whip in the House