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Labour reshuffle: Who’s in Keir Starmer’s new cabinet?

Patrick Knox

Published: 12:20, 10 May 2021
Updated: 15:24, 10 May 2021

SIR Keir Starmer began a stuttering reshuffle after a weekend of chaos in Labour ranks following the party’s disastrous election results.

Here is who is in the new shadow cabinet.

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Sir Keir Starmer reshuffled his Shadow Cabinet after a series of disappointing results in elections on May 6, 2021Credit: LNP

Who's in Keir Starmer's cabinet?

Angela Rayner - Shadow First Secretary of State

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer and deputy party leader Angela RaynerCredit: PA

Rayner has been moved from party chair and national campaigns coordinator to shadow Cabinet Office minister.

The 41-year-old married mum of three sons does, however, remain deputy party leader.

This position is chosen directly by party members, so is not part of the reshuffle.

She now holds the position of Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office and Shadow Secretary of State for the Future of Work.

Rayner is originally from Stockport, Greater Manchester, but she has moved to Ashton-under-Lyne which is her constituency since the 2015 General Election.

Rachel Reeves - Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer

Rachel Reeves' speech in London on Labour’s Plan to Make Work PayCredit: Elliott Franks

Former economist Ms Reeves has added shadow chancellor to the long list of shadow roles she has held during her decade in Parliament.

First elected to represent Leeds West in 2010, within six months she was the shadow minister for pensions.

After subsequent roles at shadowing in the Treasury and Department for Work and Pensions, Ms Reeves assumed the role of shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster - opposite Michael Gove - when Sir Keir became party leader.

She was good friends with constituency neighbour Jo Cox, who was killed in 2016.

Paying a tearful tribute to her colleague in the Commons days after her death, Ms Reeves said of Ms Cox: "Batley and Spen will go on, to elect a new MP, but no one can replace a mother."

Politics runs in the family, and Ms Reeves is married to a former private secretary and speech writer of Gordon Brown.

Her younger sister, Ellie also has a seat in Parliament as the Labour MP for Lewisham West and Penge, and serves as the shadow Solicitor General.

Before arriving in Westminster, Ms Reeves worked as an economist at the Bank of England and the British Embassy in Washington DC.

Anneliese Dodds - Chair of the Labour Party

Anneliese Dodds fell from the highest political perch in this reshuffle, but has retained a role in the shadow cabinetCredit: Elliott Franks

The former shadow chancellor fell from the highest political perch in this reshuffle, but has retained a role in the shadow cabinet

Labour MP for Oxford East since June 2017, Ms Dodds was an MEP for South East England for four years before taking her seat on the opposition benches.

A mother of two young children, 43-year-old Ms Dodds' media skills were put to the test just days into her role as shadow chancellor, when her daughter burst in during an interview with Sky News.

Ms Dodds said when asked about the moment at the interview's close: "I thought she was going to stay asleep, sorry... so embarrassing.

"She's thankfully under the chair now."

Ms Dodds has now been relegated to the role of party chairman and chair of Labour Policy Review.

Before politics, Aberdeen-born Ms Dodds worked as an academic and it is thought her research focused on public policy and risk in different industries, sectors and nations.

Lisa Nandy - Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Lisa Nandy retains her position asCredit: PA

Lisa Nandy has retained her role as Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in Starmer's reshuffle.

Nandy has been MP for Wigan since 2010 and stood against Starmer for the Labour leadership.

She came third in the final stage of the vote behind winner Starmer and runner-up Rebecca Long-Bailey.

Sir Alan Campbell - Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons

Labour's new chief whip is Sir Alan Campbell, who had served as the deputy chief whip since 2010.

Sir Alan, who has been the MP for Tynemouth in the north east of England since 1997, has not broken the Labour Party whip.

He is one of the current longest serving members of his party's frontbench, having first been appointed to it in May 2005.

At the 2010 general election, Sir Alan was one of the very few Labour MPs re-elected by an increased majority.

He was a teacher before becoming an MP.

Who else is in the Labour shadow cabinet?

Shabana Mahmood, who is the MP for Birmingham Ladywood, has been promoted to the position of Labour campaigns coordinator, taking on the role that was previously held by deputy leader Angela Rayner.

She will not have much time to settle into the role.

This is because there is a crucial by-election in Batley and Spen likely in the coming months after the constituency's current MP Tracy Brabin was elected the new metro mayor of West Yorkshire.