Labour reshuffle: Yvette Cooper set to trade blows with Priti Patel
YVETTE COOPER has replaced Nick Thomas-Symonds as the new shadow home secretary in the labour cabinet reshuffle.
Emily Thornberry has also been announced the new shadow attorney general in the reshuffle.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of blindsiding Angela Rayner by conducting a reshuffle just as the Deputy Labour leader made a speech on standards. Political commentator Dan Hodges said: "Keir Starmer is doing a reshuffle precisely when Angela Rayner is giving a major speech because he doesn't rate her and wants to sack her. Angela's 'friends' are briefing against Keir because she doesn't rate him and would like his job. It's no more complicated than that."
THIS BLOG IS NOW CLOSED.
Additional reporting by Olivia Stringer.
KEY EVENTS
End of live coverage
That's the end of our live coverage of the Labour reshuffle, here are some of the key points:
-Yvette Cooper will go up against Priti Patel after replacing Nick Thomas-Symonds as the new shadow home secretary
-Wes Streeting has been appointed as the new health secretary, replacing Jonathan Ashworth who has been in the job since 2016
-Deputy leader Angela Rayner said she was not aware of the reshuffle taking place
-Cat Smith and Lord Falconer both resigned from the shadow cabinet
David Lammy 'honoured' to be taking up role
David Lammy said he is "honoured" to be taking up the role of shadow foreign secretary.
Taking to Twitter he said: "At a time when Britain is recasting itself on the world stage, I look forward to setting out Labour’s vision for a values-led foreign policy based on cooperation & internationalism."
He also paid tribute to outgoing Lisa Nandy who he said: "was too hot to handle for @DominicRaab".
'I look forward to working with the new team', says Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer has thanked all those who have left the Labour party in today's reshuffle.
In a statement, Sir Keir said: "I want to thank all those who have left the shadow cabinet today for their great service to me and to our party.
"I look forward to working with the new team to show we are once again a serious party of Government, ready to fix the mess the Tories have got the country into and to inspire voters to believe that Britain's best days are ahead of us."
Jonathan Ashworth thanks NHS staff for 'inspiring' him
Jonathan Ashworth said it has been an "immense privilege" to serve as shadow health secretary during the pandemic.
Mr Ashworth will be taking up as new role a shadow work and pensions secretary.
Taking to Twitter he said, "it's the right moment for a new challenge" before thanking the NHS, social care, and medical staff who have "inspired" him during his time in the role.
He added: "I’m hugely confident @wesstreeting will be a superb and worthy successor and be as proud as I was to be Labour’s health spokesperson."
3. Thank you to all the extraordinary NHS, social care, medical science staff and patients who have inspired me so much these last five years.
\u2014 Jonathan Ashworth (@JonAshworth) November 29, 2021
I\u2019m hugely confident @wesstreeting will be a superb and worthy successor and be as proud as I was to be Labour\u2019s health spokesperson.
Wes Street 'delighted' on appointment
Wes Streeting said he is "delighted" to be appointed Shadow Health Secretary.
He said "This year the NHS saved my life" adding that Labour will "make it fit for the future".
Mr Street is replacing Jonathan Ashworth who has been in the position since 2016
Delighted to have been appointed as Shadow Health & Social Care Secretary.
\u2014 Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) November 29, 2021
This year the NHS saved my life and staff across health and social care are getting us through the worst pandemic in living memory.
Labour created the NHS. We\u2019ll make it fit for the future.
Shadow cabinet in full
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed his Cabinet reshuffle, here is the shadow cabinet in full:
-Deputy leader- Angela Rayner-Shadow chancellor- Rachel Reeves-Shadow business secretary-Jonathan Reynolds-Shadow climate secretary- Ed Miliband-Shadow housing secretary-Lisa Nandy-Shadow defence secretary-John Healey-Shadow culture secretary-Lucy Powell-Shadow education secretary- Bridget Phillipson-Shadow environment secretary- Jim McMahon-Shadow foreign secretary- David Lammy-Shadow health secretary-Wes Streeting-Shadow home secretary- Yvette Cooper-Shadow trade secretary- Nick Thomas-Symonds-Shadow justice secretary- Steve Reed-Shadow transport secretary- Louise Haigh-Shadow secretary for women and equalities- Anneliese Dodds-Shadow secretary for work and pensions- Jonathan Ashworth-Shadow attorney-general- Emily Thornberry-Shadow minister for mental health-Shadow cabinet for international development- Preet Gill-Shadow secretary for treasure- Pat McFadden-Shadow secretary for Wales- Jo Stevens-Shadow secretary for Scotland- Ian Murray-Shadow Secretary for Northern Ireland- Peter Kyle
New shadow secretary for education and health confirmed
Bridget Phillipson has been confirmed has the new shadow secretary of state for education, replacing Ed Miliband.
Ed Miliband has been given a new role as shadow secretary of state for climate change and net-zero.
Wes Streeting has also been promoted to shadow health secretary, replacing Jonathan Ashworth who has been in the position since 2016.
Mr Ashworth becomes the shadow secretary for work and pensions.
New roles confirmed
A number of key roles have been confirmed.
-Emily Thornberry will move to become the shadow attorney general
-Shadow housing minister Lucy Powell has been promoted to become shadow secretary of state for culture, replacing Jo Stevens.
-Danny Lammy will move to become the shadow foreign secretary
Shadow attorney-general steps down
Shadow attorney-general Lord Falconer is stepping down from Labour's frontbench team, it has been announced.
In a letter to Sir Keir Starmer, the peer said "the time has come" for him to step back.
He said: "I was 70 last Friday and I will continue to work on the number of political areas that I have a personal interest in, including assisted dying and the wider constitutional issues facing the UK.
"I have throughout been a close adviser to you and will, as you have asked, continue to be so. I strongly supported your leadership of the Labour Party and will continue to do so."
In reply, Sir Keir said he was sorry Lord Falconer was stepping down.
He said: "I am glad that you will continue to be engaged in frontline politics and that you will remain a close adviser to myself and this shadow cabinet."
Nick Thomas-Symonds demoted
Nick Thomas-Symonds has been demoted from his role as shadow home secretary.
Reports say he has been moved to shadow trade secretary, replacing Emily Thornberry.
They also suggest he will be replaced by Yvette Cooper.
Jo Stevens has also been moved from shadow culture secretary to take over as shadow Welsh secreatry.
\ud83c\udf39Labour shadow cabinet round-up. This is what we think we know so far...
\u2014 Pippa Crerar (@PippaCrerar) November 29, 2021
Yvette Cooper to home
David Lammy to foreign
Lisa Nandy to levelling up
Steve Reed to justice
Lucy Powell to DCMS
Nick Thomas-Symonds to trade
Jo Stevens to Wales
Angela Rayner thanks Cat Smith for 'brilliant' work
Labour Deputy Leader Angela Rayner has thanked Cat Smith for her work during her time on the shadow cabinet.
Responding to her letter of resignation, Ms Rayner said Cat is a "brilliant local MP and I know she will continue to stand up for her constituents from the backbenchers".
She thanked the former shadow secretary for young people and democracy for her work "standing up against the Conservatives' anti-democratic power-grab Elections Bill".
I want to thank @CatSmithMP for all of her work in my team especially in exposing and standing up against the Conservatives' anti-democratic power-grab Elections Bill.
\u2014 Angela Rayner (@AngelaRayner) November 29, 2021
Cat is a brilliant local MP and I know she will continue to stand up for her constituents from the backbenches. https://t.co/0k1uCzpyoX
Rayner did not know details of reshuffle
Angela Rayner said she was not aware of any plans for a reshuffle adding that she thought Keir Starmer would tell her first.
Speaking to Times Radio, Ms Rayner said: "I don't think there's any focus on that at the moment.
"We've been holding governments to account and that's what we're focusing on at the moment, not internal ... what job you've got."
A spokesperson for Ms Rayner later said the leader and his deputy had spoken between her morning round of media interviews and her speech at the Institute for Government (IfG).
While the reshuffle was discussed, Ms Rayner did not know the details, the spokesperson said.
Ms Rayner said after her speech she had not been aware of "the timing of it", adding that everything the Labour Party should be doing was focusing on getting into power.
Rayner fights back after reshuffle news overshadows speech
Angela Rayner appears to be fighting back after Labour reshuffle overshadowed her speech about the Tory sleaze scandal.
The news came as she made a speech laying out how the party would change lobbying rules to tackle corruption in politics.
Ms Rayner noted that people have lost trust in the Government and said Labour will lay out how they will restore trust.
She also noted that there were concentrated efforts to get Labour back into power.
Read more here.
Jo Stevens moves cabinet jobs
Labour Mp Jo Stevens has moved from Shadow Culture Secretary to Shadow Welsh Secretary, replacing Llanelli MP Nia Griffith.
In a tweet Ms Stevens said: "I’m moving Shadow Cabinet jobs from DCMS to Wales. Its been a privilege to closely work with hugely talented people in the DCMS sector, the fastest growing before the pandemic & one of the hardest hit. I want to continue the great work of my friend @NiaGriffithMP in the new job."
I\u2019m moving Shadow Cabinet jobs from DCMS to Wales. Its been a privilege to closely work with hugely talented people in the DCMS sector, the fastest growing before the pandemic & one of the hardest hit. I want to continue the great work of my friend @NiaGriffithMP in the new job
\u2014 Jo Stevens (@JoStevensLabour) November 29, 2021
Kate Green sacked in reshuffle
Kate Green has become the first victim of Starmer's cabinet reshuffle and has been sacked as Shadow Secretary State for Education, two sources told Sky News.
Sources conflicted on what Rayner was told about reshuffle
Several sources have given conflicting accounts on what Angela Rayner knew about the reshuffle.
Some sources claim that Ms Rayner was aware of the reshuffle and had been pushing for change for months.
However, other sources, closer to Ms Rayner claim she was informed about the reshuffle but not told any details.
Senior Labour MP calls timing of reshuffle 'very odd'
A senior Labour MP has called the timing of the cabinet reshuffle 'very odd'.
However, the MP added: "Keir has wanted to cull Shadow Cabinet for some time (and needed to, frankly).
"Now we are on the up, he needs a team he can rely on to do the heavy lifting in place."
Cat Smith returns to backbench
Labour MP Cat Smith will leave the shadow cabinet and return to the backbench following a reshuffle in the Labour party.
In a letter to the Labour leader, Ms Smith said she was grateful for Sir Keir's offer to remain in her current position but that she wanted to return to the backbench to focus on her constituency.
The MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood also highlighted a number of concerns in her letter, such as former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn not being readmitted to the Labour Party and Labour not taking a stance on proportional voting.
It\u2019s been an honour to serve on the Labour front bench since 2015 but I\u2019m looking forward to spending even more time at home here in Lancashire and standing up for my constituents. pic.twitter.com/8pybEql5WB
\u2014 Cat Smith MP (@CatSmithMP) November 29, 2021
Angela Rayner said she is not aware of any Labour reshuffle
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner has said she is not aware of any Labour reshuffle.
During her speech on standards, Ms Rayner said: "I've been concentrating on the job that I'm doing."
She added that the Labour Party should be focusing on getting into power.
Angela Rayner proposed a five year ban on lobbying for ex MPs
Angela Rayner said Labour would enforce a complete five-year ban on ministers lobbying after they leave office.
Ms Rayner said if Labour were in Government they would implement every recommendation on how they could improve standards.
She said: "Never again will a prime minister and his ministers be able to break the rules with impunity because the rules are too weak.
"Power and control over the rules will be taken away from those the rules hold to account.
"It will be a Labour Government that makes our politics a force for good."
Ms Rayner says current code has grey areas
Angela Rayner said the current ministerial code has grey areas meaning it is easier for MPs to get off the hook.
She said under Labour the code would be strengthened to get rid of these grey areas.
She said the current Committee can't even enforce its own rules.
Prime Minister will no longer be judge and Jury under Labour's proposal's
Angela Rayner outlined how the Prime Minister is currently both the Judge and Jury in cases of breaches of the ministerial code.
However, she said the Independent Integrity and Ethics Committee will have the power to access any evidence they need and the power to investigate any suspicions of breaches without the Prime Minister's permission.
She said there will be clear sanctions for those who breach the code and that the Ministerial code itself needs updating and strengthening.
Ms Rayner is laying out her proposed Integrity and Ethics Commission
Ms Rayner said Boris Johnson has spent his whole life breaking the rules.
She said that Boris Johnson changes the rules to suit himself and only acts in self-interest.
She said he is unwilling to do what is needed to tackle corruption.
Ms Rayner said the rules need to be strengthened.
Ms Rayner said there is one rule for the Government and one for everyone else
Ms Rayner has said people have lost trust in the Government because everyone else gets punished for falling foul of their work's Code of Conduct but MPs don't.
Ms Rayner said Labour will lay out how they will restore trust.
Angela Rayner is now making her keynote speech
Ms Rayner said the last Labour government did not hesitate to stamp out corruption and the next Labour Government will stamp it out.
Ms Rayner said today there is no respect for the rules and no consequences for breaking them.
She accused the Prime Minister for being a hypocrite for not breaking his own principals.
She said that Boris Johnson shamelessly breaks the rules.
Ms Rayner said corruption is 'rife' in the Tory Government.
Angela Rayner urges government to encourage working from home
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner has urged the Government to encourage working from home, following the identification of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Watch the video below.
Angela Rayner urges government to encourage home working
Angela Rayner calls for face coverings to be worn in hospitality venues
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner has called for face coverings to be worn in hospitality venues after the Government announced on Saturday that from Tuesday they would again be mandatory in shops and on public transport.
Speaking to Sky News, Ms Rayner said: "We think that in hospitality settings that people should be wearing a mask. I got the train here yesterday evening and it was absolutely rammed, you couldn't even stand up, it was so full, and nobody, very few people, were wearing a mask on that train.
"It's so important that people wear masks when they're indoors, in arenas where they're meeting people and... mixing in large numbers. People should be wearing their masks."
On wearing masks in pubs, she said: "I think people should... especially if you're moving around the pub, people should be wearing their masks in hospitality settings. If you're (in) an indoor setting, there's no distinction between a pub, sitting in a pub, or sitting on a train, or sitting in a hospital. It's still a venue that's indoors and we should be taking the necessary measures to protect people around us."
Keir Starmer planning reshuffle
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is reportedly planning a reshuffle of the Shadow Cabinet, with poor performers at risk of being demoted.
The reshuffle is expected before Christmas and Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow home secretary, Kate Green, the shadow education secretary, and Jo Stevens, the shadow culture secretary, are all reportedly at risk of demotion.
Sir Keir could give a job to Yvette Cooper, who is said to be keen to return to frontbench politics.