Former Labour leader returns to frontbench

FORMER LABOUR leader and Yorkshire MP Ed Miliband has returned to the party’s frontbench in the biggest surprise of the reshuffle by new leader Sir Keir Starmer.

A number of Yorkshire MPs have joined the Shadow Cabinet, including Leeds West’s Rachel Reeves, now Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh as the interim Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary.

Wentworth and Dearne MP John Healey who was previously Shadow Housing Secretary, has been made Shadow Defence Secretary.

But Mr Miliband’s return was one of the biggest surprises of the shake-up, as he returns to Labour’s frontbench as Shadow Business, Energy and Industrial Secretary. He said: “We cannot go back to business as usual after this crisis.”

Mr Miliband, MP for Doncaster North, led a more moderate party than his successor Jeremy Corbyn, who guided Labour to its worst General Election defeat since 1935 before being replaced by Sir Keir on Saturday.

Mr Miliband’s return comes after he found fresh popularity hosting a podcast in the wake of his 2015 General Election defeat.

Some Yorkshire MPs lost their roles. Batley and Spen’s Tracy Brabin was asked to step aside as Shadow Culture Secretary and Leeds East’s Richard Burgon was also stood down as Shadow Justice Secretary.

Ms Brabin, who had backed Sir Keir for leader and organised a visit to her constituency, tweeted: “It has been a privilege to be in the Shadow Cabinet and (I’m) proud of the work our team did on holding Government to account on Huawei, as well as supporting the sectors and self-employed people during the Covid-19 crisis.”

Mr Burgon said on Twitter: “As I’ve done since joining the party in the mid-1990s, I’ll continue to give my all to get a Labour Government.”

Ms Brabin was replaced by Jo Stevens, and Mr Burgon by David Lammy.

York Central MP Rachael Maskell also lost her position as Shadow Employment Rights Secretary, as did former Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, Hemworth’s Jon Trickett.

The moves will be seen as an attempt to unite a fractured party, bringing back some names from the party’s recent past while holding onto some who excelled under Mr Corbyn.

Sir Keir said: “This is a new team that will be relentlessly focused on acting in the national interest to respond to the coronavirus pandemic and rebuilding Labour so that it can win the next election.”