Monday 29 November 2021 7:46 pm | Updated: Monday 29 November 2021 8:20 pm

Yvette Cooper made shadow home secretary in comprehensive Labour shadow cabinet reshuffle

Yvette Cooper has returned to frontline Westminster politics, after being appointed shadow home secretary in Labour’s comprehensive shadow cabinet reshuffle today.

Cooper, a former rising star under Gordon Brown and husband to Labour heavyweight Ed Balls, formerly served as shadow home secretary between 2011 and 2015.

Sir Keir Starmer’s reshuffle also saw David Lammy promoted to shadow foreign secretary from justice, Jonathan Reynolds promoted from work and pensions to business, energy and industrial strategy and Ed Miliband demoted to a new climate change brief.

Lisa Nandy, a Labour leadership contender last year, will now shadow Michael Gove in his role as housing and levelling up secretary.

Labour rising star and Ilford North MP Wes Streeting will be moved to the health brief, after formerly serving as shadow secretary of state for child poverty – a role that does not exist in the current government.

Fellow rising star Bridget Phillipson was promoted from shadow chief secretary to the Treasury to shadow education secretary.

Pat McFadden, a former minister under Gordon Brown, will take over Phillipson’s role as shadow chief secretary to the Treasury.

Nick Thomas-Symonds is among the big losers of the day, after being demoted from shadow home secretary to international trade.

Emily Thornberry was moved from shadow international trade to shadow attorney general in what will be seen as a large demotion.

Kate Green, Luke Pollard, Nia Griffith and Lord Charlie Falconer were all removed from the cabinet entirely.

The day began with drama for the party as rumours of a reshuffle began to surface on Twitter as deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner was making a key speech on parliamentary standards.

Rayner at first said she didn’t know about a reshuffle when questioned by journalists, however it was later clarified by her staff that she and Starmer had briefly spoken about it this morning.

Starmer said: “With this reshuffle, we are a smaller, more focused shadow cabinet that mirrors the shape of the Government we are shadowing. We must hold the Conservative government to account on behalf of the public and demonstrate that we are the right choice to form the next government.”

New Labour shadow cabinet in full

Deputy Leader, Shadow First Secretary of State, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Shadow Secretary of State for the Future of Work: Angela Rayner

Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer: Rachel Reeves

Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Industrial Strategy: Jonathan Reynolds

Shadow Secretary of State of Climate Change and Net Zero: Ed Miliband

Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing, Communities & Local Government: Lisa Nandy

Shadow Secretary of State for Defence: John Healey

Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Lucy Powell

Shadow Secretary of State for Education: Bridget Phillipson

Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Jim McMahon