Keir Starmer has reshuffled his shadow cabinet, promoting his deputy Angela Rayner and appointing close ally Rachel Reeves as shadow chancellor after a day of fraught negotiations. The changes follow Labour's disappointing local election results and aim to reorient the party's direction.
Rayner, who was initially offered the social care brief, secured a significantly enhanced role as shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and shadow secretary for the future of work. She will retain joint control over party matters as deputy leader, despite losing her role as party chair. The standoff delayed the reshuffle for hours, with Rayner's allies expressing fury over the original plan to sideline her.
Reeves replaces Anneliese Dodds, who takes joint control of Labour's policy review and remains in the shadow cabinet. Nick Brown was sacked as chief whip, replaced by Alan Campbell. Thangam Debbonaire becomes shadow leader of the Commons, Wes Streeting takes on child poverty, and Lucy Powell moves to shadow housing secretary.
Starmer said the party must embrace change and focus on bold ideas. 'Just as the pandemic has changed what is possible and what is necessary, so Labour must change too,' he said. Rayner tweeted: 'United we stand, divided we fall. The past we inherit the future we build.'
