Record-breaker Ashworth relishing ‘a new challenge’

CHANGED ROLE FOR MP WHO HELD SHADOW HEALTH BRIEF LONGER THAN ANY OTHER POLITICIAN

JON Ashworth, the MP for Leicester South, has described being given a new job in Sir Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet as “the right moment for a new challenge”.

Mr Ashworth has been the shadow health secretary since October 2016 and has served in that role longer than any other Labour politician.

He has now been moved to shadow work and pensions secretary, dealing with Labour’s policies on welfare, unemployment and the rights of pensioners.

He said in a series of tweets: “I’m excited to be taking on the shadow Work & Pensions Secretary brief.

“With child poverty rising, in-work poverty endemic, lack of meaningful support for people with disabilities, and often a raw deal for pensioners this is a huge agenda and Labour will lead the campaign.

“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 the right moment for a new challenge!

“Thank you to all the extraordinary NHS, social care, medical science staff and patients who have inspired me so much these last five years.”

The Labour MP announced at the weekend he would be “out of action for a bit” after testing positive for Covid19.

He used his situation to warn that although “huge strides have been made” there is “still a lot of virus circulating”, adding:

“So get your jab and booster, do routine lateral flow tests, wear masks in crowded places.”

He also urged the government to “fix sick pay and ventilation”. As shadow health secretary, he had urged the government to invest in better ventilation for businesses, public spaces and schools.

Last month, he inadvertently sparked controversy after offering his “condolences” to the family of the Liverpool taxi suicide bomber. The shadow health secretary spoke to Sky News expressing shock at the explosion which took place outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital just before 11am on Remebrance Sunday. But in a bizarre moment, he offered condolences to the dead attacker’s family, despite the incident being labelled a terrorist attack by police. Following a backlash, Mr Ashworth later apologised, tweeting: “This is obviously embarrassing I misread the news ticker in an interview and thought a member of the public had now died.

“My deepest apologies for this mistake.”

Mr Ashworth, pictured, will be replaced as shadow health secretary by Ilford North MP Wes Streeting, who in the past 14 months alone has served as shadow chancellor, shadow schools minister and shadow secretary of state for child poverty.

Other changes include: Yvette Cooper becomes shadow home secretary;

David Lammy becomes shadow foreign secretary;

Jonathan Reynolds becomes shadow business secretary;

Bridget Phillipson becomes the new shadow education secretary.