The reshuffle puts the “strongest players” on the field ahead of the next election

Sir Keir Starmer said his shadow cabinet reshuffle meant Labor had “the strongest possible players on the ground” ahead of the next election.

The biggest winner in the top-flight reshuffle appeared to be his deputy Angela Rayner, who was given an extensive floor debate and officially named shadow deputy prime minister.

The decision to move Ms Rayner, who previously oversaw the Cabinet Office, saw Lisa Nandy demoted from her post next to leveling secretary Michael Gove and moved to covering the international development brief.

It means the Wigan MP, who contested Sir Keir for the leadership in 2020, is now deputy to Foreign Secretary David Lammy – a role he replaced just under two years ago.

A source close to Ms Nandy signaled there would be no dissent over her demotion, saying she was a “team player” and was looking forward to “getting stuck into her new role”.

Sir Keir defended the change, saying the international development post would be “crucially important” to a future Labor government’s plans to “re-establish position” on the world stage.

The widespread passing of Ms Rayner’s move to leveling – a role that has housing, devolution and examining the Conservative government’s commitment to creating economic opportunities outside London and the south-east – went better for the leader than the reshuffle. in May 2021.

Ms Rayner, as part of negotiations with Sir Keir – who wanted to remove her as his party chairman after the Hartlepool by-election defeat – saw her emerge in a stronger position with a strengthened set of responsibilities .

Sir Keir’s reshuffle of his front bench on Monday, which began at 9am and ended by lunchtime, saw allies receive promotions, including Shabana Mahmood, who moved from co-ordinator national campaign to shadow justice secretary.

A key ally of the Opposition Leader, the Birmingham Ladywood MP is understood to have been given her new role as a reward for helping to reshape the party’s campaign machine and overseeing by-election and local election successes since her appointment two years ago years.

Liz Kendall, who unsuccessfully ran for the leadership in 2015 against Jeremy Corbyn and is considered to be on the right of the party, has been promoted to work and pensions secretary after impressing in her former social care stint.

Pat McFadden, former political secretary to ex-prime minister Sir Tony Blair, is moving from shadow chief secretary to the Treasury to shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, while also taking up the campaign co-ordinator job vacated by Ms Mahmood’s promotion.

Ms Kendall denied the reshuffle made the shadow cabinet more “Blairite”, telling BBC Radio 4’s PM programme: “No it hasn’t.

“We don’t want to go back to 2010, let alone 1997 – this is a team focused on the future.”

Rising star Darren Jones, who had made a name for himself for ministers in his role as chairman of the Business and Trade Select Committee, was given Mr McFadden’s previous post.

Sir Keir has also filled his shadow cabinet with more experience, appointing Hilary Benn as Northern Ireland Secretary. He served in the cabinet during Labour’s last session in power.

Speaking to Westminster broadcasters about his revamp, Sir Keir said his party reforms meant he was “now in a position to put our top team on the table, to show it to the country”.

He said: “I think what’s important is to recognize that with this reshuffle we now have the strongest possible players on the pitch for what will be a crucial part of the journey.”

He said Ms Rayner’s job change was about putting her in a role that was “essential to the rebuilding of our country”.

Other changes saw Lucy Powell and Thangam Debbonaire effectively undergo a job swap, with Ms Powell being moved to shadow community leader and Ms Debbonaire taking the cultural mandate.

There were demotions for Jonathan Ashworth and Nick Thomas-Symonds, who were stripped of their work and pensions and international trade mandates respectively and given smaller shadow roles in the cabinet office.

Mr Ashworth, in his new role as paymaster general, is expected to play a central role in the next general election.

Steve Reed was moved from justice to environment, taking on the role of Jim McMahon after he stepped down to focus on his health.

In a move that set Monday’s reshuffle in motion, Mr McMahon, who had been left to lose his job, offered his continued support for Sir Keir but said he wanted to “focus on my brings health back to power.”

Elsewhere, Rosen Allin-Khan announced she was standing down as shadow mental health minister after she said Sir Keir had refused to stand down.

In a letter posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, the GP told Sir Keir: “As previously discussed and in our previous call, you have made it clear that you do not see a space for a mental health portfolio in a Labor cabinet, which is why I told you many weeks ago that I would not be able to continue in this role.”

The pre-election shake-up came on the same day former civil servant and party investigator Sue Gray began her new role as the Labor leader’s chief of staff.

Anti-sleaze watchdog the Business Appointments Advisory Committee had recommended a six-month delay in starting the job with Sir Keir – advice Labor accepted.

Greg Hands, chairman of the Tory Party, said: “This reshuffle shows that Sir Keir Starmer is not offering new ideas, but more of the same old short-term approach to politics that has failed this country.

“He is constantly changing positions to win votes, showing that he does not have the strength of character to lead Britain.”