Labour’s reshuf f le shambles
Rayner’s speech is overshadowed by surprise cull as Keir promotes Cooper, Lammy... and even Thornberry
YVETTE Cooper made a dramatic return to the political frontline last night after Sir Keir Starmer used a wide-ranging reshuffle to promote centrists.
At the end of a chaotic day, the Labour leader appointed Miss Cooper as Shadow Home Secretary to take the fight to Priti Patel.
Lisa Nandy was also promoted and will shadow Michael Gove in his levelling up and housing department. Her old job of Shadow Foreign Secretary went to David Lammy, while the prominent position of health spokesman was given to rising star Wes Streeting.
The changes – much wider than expected – will be seen as a move by Sir Keir to consolidate the power of centrists at the top of the Labour Party.
The reshuffle saw the departure of the last remaining Corbynite in the
‘Smaller, more focused’
Shadow Cabinet. Cat Smith left with a broadside at Sir Keir, criticising him for refusing to let Jeremy Corbyn back into the parliamentary party.
In another change, former leader Ed Miliband’s job was reduced in size. Formerly responsible for business and climate change, he will now only take on the climate change brief.
Sir Keir started his reshuffle yesterday morning, sparking a row with allies of his deputy Angela Rayner, who accused him of seeking to overshadow a speech she was giving.
The Labour leader said last night: ‘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 we are the right choice to form the next government.
‘I’m delighted that Lisa Nandy will take on the vital role of shadowing Michael Gove and leading on the levelling up agenda.
‘After 11 years of Conservative mismanagement of our economy, delivering prosperity to all regions and nations in the UK will be a defining mission of the next Labour government.’
He added he was also delighted Mr Miliband would take the lead on holding the Government to account for its ‘failure to take action on climate change… the most important issue facing this country over the next decade’.
Sir Keir said: ‘I look forward to working with the new team to show we are once again a serious party of government.’
Miss Cooper replaces Nick Thomas-Symonds, who becomes international trade spokesman. He takes over from Emily Thornberry, who becomes shadow attorney general.
Yesterday morning, allies of Mrs Rayner questioned why Sir Keir decided to carry out the changes just as she was making a speech accusing the Conservatives of ‘corruption’. Mrs Rayner said after her speech she had not been aware of ‘the timing of ’ the reshuffle.
She added: ‘Six months ago I said again we need some consistency in how we’re approaching things as an opposition.’
The saga prompted fresh fears over the relationship between Sir Keir and his deputy.
The pair were locked in a stand-off during Sir Keir’s last reshuffle in May, when Mrs Rayner felt she was being scapegoated for the party’s disastrous Hartlepool by-election result.