LABOUR’S Angela Rayner has been appointed as the new shadow deputy prime minister as Keir Starmer reshuffles his cabinet.
She will also take over from Lisa Nandy as shadow levelling up secretary.
A Labour source said that Starmer had given Rayner an “important role” in the team.
Nandy (below) meanwhile has been appointed as the new shadow cabinet minister for international development as part of the reshuffle.
She was one of Starmer's rivals in the Labour leadership election in 2020 and her new position is considered a demoction as it does not directly relate to the work of a secretary of state in government.
Elsewhere, Labour MP Jim McMahon announced he has stepped down as shadow environment secretary.
Publishing his resignation letter on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Oldham West and Royton MP said he remained a “firm supporter of Keir” despite his decision to resign.
He explained: “After a testing year I want to focus on getting my health back to full strength so that I can make a full and active contribution to the General Election campaign heading towards us, and to prioritise my constituents.”
In a reply also published on X, Starmer thanked McMahon for his work in the shadow cabinet.
He said he was aware of the “personal challenges” McMahon had faced and that this had taken a “personal toll”.
Labour campaign co-ordinator Shabana Mahmood has been named shadow justice secretary.
She takes the role from Steve Reed, who moves to shadow secretary for environment, food and rural affairs.
The promotion for Mahmood, a key ally to Starmer, is understood to be a reward for helping to reshape the party’s campaign machine and overseeing by-election and local election successes since her appointment.
A Labour source said: “This promotion is recognition of the integral role Shabana has played in transforming the Labour Party as national campaign co-ordinator.”
Pat McFadden takes Mahmood’s former campaign co-ordinator post, as well as being appointed shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
He had previously served as shadow Treasury chief secretary.
Here's a full list of all the changes:
- Angela Rayner has been given the levelling up brief and is now shadow deputy PM.
- Lisa Nandy, former shadow levelling up secretary, has been moved to international development.
- Former shadow health minister Liz Kendall has been made shadow work and pensions secretary, replacing Jonathan Ashworth.
- Meanwhile, Ashworth has become shadow paymaster general in the Cabinet Office.
- Thangam Debbonaire, formerly the shadow leader of the House of Commons has swapped jobs with shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell.
- Steve Reed is now shadow environment secretary while Hilary Benn returneds to the shadow cabinet with the Northern Ireland brief.
- Pat McFadden is Labour's shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the party's national campaign coordinator.
- Darren Jones is now shadow chief secretary to the treasury, taking over from McFadden.
- Nick Thomas-Symonds is now the shadow minister without portfolio in the Cabinet Office.
