# Shadow Cabinet of Keir Starmer

Keir Starmer assumed the position of Leader of the Opposition after being elected as leader of the Labour Party on 4 April 2020; the election was triggered by Jeremy Corbyn's resignation following the Labour Party's electoral defeat at the 2019 general election when Boris Johnson formed a majority Conservative government. Starmer appointed his Shadow Cabinet on 5 and 6 April. He reshuffled his Shadow Cabinet five times: in June 2020, May 2021, June 2021, November 2021 and 2023.
His Shadow Cabinet appointments included MPs associated with the various wings of the party. Angela Rayner was appointed deputy labour leader and shadow deputy prime minister, while Rachel Reeves and Yvette Cooper were appointed as shadow chancellor and shadow home secretary, respectively. Former Labour leader Ed Miliband was appointed shadow energy and climate secretary. Other notable appointments included David Lammy as shadow foreign secretary and Wes Streeting as shadow health secretary. A reshuffle of the Shadow Cabinet was undertaken in September 2023, which was described by the media as being dominated by Blairites and demoting MPs on the soft left.
Following the achievement by the Labour Party of a majority in the 2024 general election, the shadow cabinet was disbanded after Starmer became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 5 July 2024, succeeding Rishi Sunak of the Conservative Party.

## Shadow Cabinet
### September 2023 – July 2024

| Portfolio | Shadow Minister | Constituency | Term |
| Shadow cabinet ministers ||||||
| Leader of the Opposition Leader of the Labour Party | Keir Starmer | Holborn and St Pancras | Apr 2020 – July 2024 |
| Deputy Leader of the Opposition Deputy Leader of the Labour Party | Angela Rayner | Ashton-under-Lyne | Apr 2020 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities | Angela Rayner | Ashton-under-Lyne | Sep 2023 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer | Rachel Reeves | Leeds West | May 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs | David Lammy | Tottenham | Nov 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department | Yvette Cooper | Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford | Nov 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Labour Party National Campaign Co-ordinator | Pat McFadden | Wolverhampton South East | Sep 2023 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Lord Chancellor Shadow Secretary of State for Justice | Shabana Mahmood | Birmingham Ladywood | Sep 2023 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Defence | John Healey | Wentworth and Dearne | Apr 2020 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology | Peter Kyle | Hove | Sep 2023 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero | Ed Miliband | Doncaster North | Nov 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade | Jonathan Reynolds | Stalybridge and Hyde | Sep 2023 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | Liz Kendall | Leicester West | Sep 2023 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care | Wes Streeting | Ilford North | Nov 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Education | Bridget Phillipson | Houghton and Sunderland South | Nov 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport | Thangam Debbonaire | Bristol West | Sep 2023 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Steve Reed | Croydon North | Sep 2023 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Transport | Louise Haigh | Sheffield Heeley | Nov 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | Hilary Benn | Leeds Central | Sep 2023 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland | Ian Murray | Edinburgh South | Apr 2020 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Wales | Jo Stevens | Cardiff Central | Nov 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities | Anneliese Dodds | Oxford East | Sept 2021 – July 2024 |
| Chair of the Labour Party | Anneliese Dodds | Oxford East | May 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Minister without Portfolio | Nick Thomas-Symonds | Torfaen | Sep 2023 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury | Darren Jones | Bristol North West | Sep 2023 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Cabinet Minister for International Development | Lisa Nandy | Wigan | Sep 2023 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Paymaster General | Jonathan Ashworth | Leicester South | Sep 2023 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales | Emily Thornberry | Islington South and Finsbury | Nov 2021 – July 2024 |
| Deputy National Campaign Coordinator | Ellie Reeves | Lewisham West and Penge | Sep 2023 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Leader of the House of Commons | Lucy Powell | Manchester Central | Sep 2023 – July 2024 |
| Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons | Alan Campbell | Tynemouth | May 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Leader of the House of Lords | Baroness Smith of Basildon | Member of the House of Lords | May 2015 – July 2024 |
| Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords | Lord Kennedy of Southwark | Member of the House of Lords | Jun 2021 – July 2024 |

### November 2021 – September 2023

Key :
* Sits in the House of Commons
* Sits in the House of Lords
Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the United Kingdom :
| Portfolio | Shadow Minister | Constituency | Term |
| Shadow cabinet ministers ||||||
| Leader of the Opposition Leader of the Labour Party | Keir Starmer | Holborn and St Pancras | Apr 2020 – July 2024 |
| Deputy Leader of the Opposition Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Shadow First Secretary of State | Angela Rayner | Ashton-under-Lyne | Apr 2020 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office Shadow Secretary of State for the Future of Work | Angela Rayner | Ashton-under-Lyne | May 2021 – Sep 2023 |
| Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer | Rachel Reeves | Leeds West | May 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | David Lammy | Tottenham | Nov 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department | Yvette Cooper | Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford | Nov 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Lord Chancellor Shadow Secretary of State for Justice | Steve Reed | Croydon North | Nov 2021 – Sep 2023 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Defence | John Healey | Wentworth and Dearne | Apr 2020 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Climate Change and Net Zero | Ed Miliband | Doncaster North | Nov 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Industrial Strategy | Jonathan Reynolds | Stalybridge and Hyde | Nov 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade | Nick Thomas-Symonds | Torfaen | Nov 2021 – Sep 2023 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | Jonathan Ashworth | Leicester South | Nov 2021 – Sep 2023 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care | Wes Streeting | Ilford North | Nov 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Education | Bridget Phillipson | Houghton and Sunderland South | Nov 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | Lucy Powell | Manchester Central | Nov 2021 – Sep 2023 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Jim McMahon | Oldham West and Royton | Nov 2021 – Sep 2023 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities | Lisa Nandy | Wigan | Nov 2021 – Sep 2023 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Transport | Louise Haigh | Sheffield Heeley | Nov 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | Peter Kyle | Hove | Nov 2021 – Sep 2023 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland | Ian Murray | Edinburgh South | Apr 2020 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Wales | Jo Stevens | Cardiff Central | Nov 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities | Anneliese Dodds | Oxford East | Sept 2021 – July 2024 |
| Chair of the Labour Party | Anneliese Dodds | Oxford East | May 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Minister of State at the Cabinet Office | Baroness Chapman of Darlington | Member of the House of Lords | Jun 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury | Pat McFadden | Wolverhampton South East | Nov 2021 – Sep 2023 |
| Shadow Cabinet Minister for International Development | Preet Gill | Birmingham Edgbaston | Apr 2020 – Sep 2023 |
| Shadow Cabinet Minister for Mental Health | Rosena Allin-Khan | Tooting | Apr 2020 – Sep 2023 |
| Labour Party National Campaign Coordinator | Shabana Mahmood | Birmingham Ladywood | May 2021 – Sep 2023 |
| Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales | Emily Thornberry | Islington South and Finsbury | Nov 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Leader of the House of Commons | Thangam Debbonaire | Bristol West | May 2021 – Sep 2023 |
| Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons | Alan Campbell | Tynemouth | May 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Leader of the House of Lords | Baroness Smith of Basildon | Member of the House of Lords | May 2015 – July 2024 |
| Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords | Lord Kennedy of Southwark | Member of the House of Lords | Jun 2021 – July 2024 |

### May 2021 – November 2021

Key :
* Sits in the House of Commons
* Sits in the House of Lords
Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the United Kingdom :
| Portfolio | Shadow Minister | Constituency | Term |
| Shadow cabinet ministers ||||||
| Leader of the Opposition Leader of the Labour Party | Keir Starmer | Holborn and St Pancras | Apr 2020 – July 2024 |
| Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Deputy Leader of the Opposition Shadow First Secretary of State | Angela Rayner | Ashton-under-Lyne | Apr 2020 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office Shadow Secretary of State for the Future of Work | Angela Rayner | Ashton-under-Lyne | May 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer | Rachel Reeves | Leeds West | May 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Foreign Secretary | Lisa Nandy | Wigan | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Home Secretary | Nick Thomas-Symonds | Torfaen | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Lord Chancellor Shadow Secretary of State for Justice | David Lammy | Tottenham | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Defence | John Healey | Wentworth and Dearne | Apr 2020 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy | Ed Miliband | Doncaster North | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade | Emily Thornberry | Islington South and Finsbury | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | Jonathan Reynolds | Stalybridge and Hyde | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care | Jonathan Ashworth | Leicester South | Oct 2016 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Education | Kate Green | Stretford and Urmston | Jun 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | Jo Stevens | Cardiff Central | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Luke Pollard | Plymouth Sutton and Devonport | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government | Steve Reed | Croydon North | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Housing | Lucy Powell | Manchester Central | May 2021 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Transport | Jim McMahon | Oldham West and Royton | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for International Development | Preet Gill | Birmingham Edgbaston | Apr 2020 – Sep 2023 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | Louise Haigh | Sheffield Heeley | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland | Ian Murray | Edinburgh South | Apr 2020 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Wales | Nia Griffith | Llanelli | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities | Anneliese Dodds | Oxford East | Sept 2021 – July 2024 |
| Chair of the Labour Party | Anneliese Dodds | Oxford East | May 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Employment Rights and Protections | Andy McDonald | Middlesbrough | Apr 2020 – Sep 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Mental Health | Rosena Allin-Khan | Tooting | Apr 2020 – Sep 2023 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Young People and Democracy | Cat Smith | Lancaster and Fleetwood | Jun 2016 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Child Poverty | Wes Streeting | Ilford North | May 2021 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Minister of State at the Cabinet Office | Jenny Chapman | Member of the House of Lords | Jun 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury | Bridget Phillipson | Houghton and Sunderland South | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Labour Party National Campaign Coordinator | Shabana Mahmood | Birmingham Ladywood | May 2021 – Sep 2023 |
| Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales | Charlie Falconer | Member of the House of Lords | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Leader of the House of Commons | Thangam Debbonaire | Bristol West | May 2021 – Sep 2023 |
| Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons | Alan Campbell | Tynemouth | May 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Leader of the House of Lords | Angela Smith | Member of the House of Lords | May 2015 – July 2024 |
| Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords | Roy Kennedy | Member of the House of Lords | Jun 2021 – July 2024 |
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 This member is also a Privy Counsellor

### April 2020 – May 2021

Key :
* Sits in the House of Commons
* Sits in the House of Lords
Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the United Kingdom :
| Portfolio | Shadow Minister | Constituency | Term |
| Shadow cabinet ministers ||||||
| Leader of the Opposition Leader of the Labour Party | Keir Starmer | Holborn and St Pancras | Apr 2020 – July 2024 |
| Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Shadow First Secretary of State Chair of the Labour Party | Angela Rayner | Ashton-under-Lyne | Apr 2020 – July 2024 |
| Chair of the Labour Party | Angela Rayner | Ashton-under-Lyne | Apr 2020 – May 2021 |
| Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer | Anneliese Dodds | Oxford East | Apr 2020 – May 2021 |
| Shadow Foreign Secretary | Lisa Nandy | Wigan | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Home Secretary | Nick Thomas-Symonds | Torfaen | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office | Rachel Reeves | Leeds West | Apr 2020 – May 2021 |
| Shadow Lord Chancellor Shadow Secretary of State for Justice | David Lammy | Tottenham | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Defence | John Healey | Wentworth and Dearne | Apr 2020 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy | Ed Miliband | Doncaster North | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade | Emily Thornberry | Islington South and Finsbury | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | Jonathan Reynolds | Stalybridge and Hyde | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care | Jonathan Ashworth | Leicester South | Oct 2016 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Education | Kate Green | Stretford and Urmston | Jun 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | Jo Stevens | Cardiff Central | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury | Bridget Phillipson | Houghton and Sunderland South | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Luke Pollard | Plymouth Sutton and Devonport | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government | Steve Reed | Croydon North | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Housing | Thangam Debbonaire | Bristol West | Apr 2020 – May 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Transport | Jim McMahon | Oldham West and Royton | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for International Development | Preet Gill | Birmingham Edgbaston | Apr 2020 – Sep 2023 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | Louise Haigh | Sheffield Heeley | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland | Ian Murray | Edinburgh South | Apr 2020 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Wales | Nia Griffith | Llanelli | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities | Anneliese Dodds | Oxford East | Sep 2021 – July 2024 |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Employment Rights and Protections | Andy McDonald | Middlesbrough | Apr 2020 – Sep 2021 |
| Shadow Minister for Mental Health | Rosena Allin-Khan | Tooting | Apr 2020 – Sep 2023 |
| Shadow Minister for Young People and Voter Engagement | Cat Smith | Lancaster and Fleetwood | Jun 2016 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales | Charlie Falconer | Member of the House of Lords | Apr 2020 – Nov 2021 |
| Shadow Leader of the House of Commons | Valerie Vaz | Walsall South | Oct 2016 – May 2021 |
| Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons | Nick Brown | Newcastle upon Tyne East | Oct 2016 – May 2021 |
| Shadow Leader of the House of Lords | Angela Smith | Member of the House of Lords | May 2015 – July 2024 |
| Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords | Tommy McAvoy | Member of the House of Lords | Jan 2018 – Jun 2021 |

## Shadow Ministers by department

In April 2020, Starmer's shadow cabinet was appointed over the course of the week following the leadership election, which included former leader Ed Miliband, as well as both of the candidates he defeated in the contest. He also appointed Anneliese Dodds as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, making her the first woman to serve in that position in either a ministerial or shadow ministerial capacity.
On 25 June 2020, Starmer dismissed his former leadership rival Rebecca Long-Bailey from her post as Shadow Secretary of State for Education. Long-Bailey had refused to delete a tweet calling the actress Maxine Peake an "absolute diamond" and linking to an interview in The Independent in which Peake said that the practice of kneeling on someone's neck by US police, as used in the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, was "learnt from seminars with Israeli secret services". The original article stated that "the Israeli police has denied this." Starmer said that because the article "contained anti-Semitic conspiracy theories" it should not have been shared by Long-Bailey. The decision to dismiss Long-Bailey was criticised by the Socialist Campaign Group, whose members met with Starmer about the decision. The decision was welcomed by some Jewish groups including the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Labour Movement. Starmer said that "restoring trust with the Jewish community is a number one priority. Antisemitism takes many different forms and it is important that we all are vigilant against it." On 27 June, he replaced her with Kate Green.
On 23 September 2020, three frontbenchers (Olivia Blake, Nadia Whittome, and Beth Winter) rebelled against Labour's position of abstention on the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill and voted against the bill; all three lost their frontbench roles over the issue. This move was seen as an indication of the firm discipline Starmer intended to exert over his party.
In the third reading of the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill on 15 October 2020, the Labour Party stance was to abstain yet 34 Labour MPs rebelled, including shadow ministers Dan Carden and Margaret Greenwood, and five parliamentary private secretaries who all resigned from their frontbench roles. These 34 were penalised the next day by being put on probation for going against the one-line whip to abstain.
In April 2023, after writing an article in The Observer, former Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott was suspended as a Labour MP pending an investigation. In the article, Abbott claimed that although "many types of white people with points of difference" such as Jewish, Irish or Traveller people can experience prejudice, they are not subject to racism "all their lives". Abbott later apologised for the article, saying that she had erroneously sent an early draft of her article. A Labour Party statement said that the comments were "deeply offensive and wrong". Starmer said that she was suspended due to anti-Semitism.
Emily Thornberry expressed her disappointment at not being appointed to a senior ministerial position by Sir Keir Starmer, despite her extensive tenure as shadow attorney general. She emphasised her contributions to Labour's policies and committed to supporting Starmer's government despite her personal setback.

## Reshuffles
### May 2021 Shadow Cabinet reshuffle

In the aftermath of relatively poor results in the 2021 local elections, Starmer carried out a May 2021 shadow cabinet reshuffle. Starmer dismissed Angela Rayner as Chair of the Labour Party and National Campaign Coordinator following the elections. The move was criticised by John McDonnell, former Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester. The major outcome of the reshuffle was the demotion of the Shadow Chancellor, Anneliese Dodds. Rachel Reeves was appointed as the new Shadow Chancellor and Angela Rayner succeeded Reeves as Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Nick Brown was dismissed as Chief Whip and replaced by his deputy, Alan Campbell. Valerie Vaz departed as Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and was replaced by Thangam Debbonaire, who in turn was succeeded as Shadow Secretary of State for Housing by Lucy Powell. On 11 May 2021, Starmer's Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) Carolyn Harris resigned, which The Times reported was after allegedly spreading false rumours about the private life of Angela Rayner prior to her dismissal. Sharon Hodgson was appointed as Starmer's new PPS.

### November 2021 Shadow Cabinet reshuffle

The November 2021 shadow cabinet reshuffle, which was considered a surprise, included the promotion of Yvette Cooper and David Lammy to Shadow Home Secretary and Shadow Foreign Secretary, respectively, while Miliband was moved from Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Industrial Strategy to Shadow Secretary of State for Climate Change and Net Zero. The appointment of Cooper in particular was described by some commentators as a sign of Labour further splitting from the Corbyn leadership and moving to the right. The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg and Robert Peston of ITV News said that the reshuffle aimed to "combine experience and youth" and end "the fatuous project of trying to ... placate Labour's warring factions", and instead chose "shadow ministers for their perceived ability". In the New Statesman, journalist Stephen Bush suggested that Starmer had "removed underperforming shadow cabinet ministers and rewarded his biggest hitters – but the resulting shadow cabinet looks to be less than the sum of its parts."

### 2023

In September 2023, Starmer reshuffled his shadow cabinet for the third time since taking over as leader. Writers from The Guardian and Politico said that the Blairite wing of the party had prospered in the reshuffle to the detriment of the soft left of the party. One shadow minister, said of the reshuffle, "It's all the Blairites" and called it "an entirely factional takeover". Starmer said that he was putting his "strongest possible players on the pitch" ahead of the upcoming general election. Tom Belger writing for LabourList described the reshuffle as a continuing of "Labour's right-ward march".
Starmer's deputy Angela Rayner received the shadow levelling up post, replacing Lisa Nandy who was demoted to the shadow minister for international development. The most senior members of the shadow cabinet remained in their positions. Rosena Allin-Khan, who was the shadow minister for mental health before the reshuffle, resigned from the Shadow Cabinet, criticising shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting's advocacy for outsourcing the NHS to the private sector. She also said that Starmer did "not see a space for a mental health portfolio in a Labour cabinet". The reshuffle coincided with the start of the tenure of Sue Gray as Starmer's new chief of staff.