Tuesday 5 September: Sir Keir Starmer has completed the long-awaited reshuffle of his shadow cabinet, expected to be Labour’s final opportunity to get its top team into position ready for next year’s general election campaign.

Overseeing policies relating to many of our members, Angela Rayner has been appointed as the Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Shadow Deputy Prime Minister, Thangam Debbonaire has been appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Liz Kendall has been appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Shabana Mahmood has been appointed Shadow Justic Secretary, and Shadow Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has had trade replace industrial strategy in his brief.

Frontbenchers with briefs matching Keir Starmer’s five missions for Government all remain in post: Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Yvette Cooper at the Home Office, Wes Streeting at Health, Ed Miliband at Energy Security and Net Zero and Bridget Phillipson at Education. There has been no change to the roles of Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, or Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey.

Overall, this reshuffle has been significant in two senses. Firstly, the relatively orderly and trouble-free manner in which it took place, with appointments and demotions taking place without much controversy or briefing against the leadership, despite some high-profile demotions. This is a marked departure from recent reshuffles across all parties.

Secondly, the distinct shift to the right in Starmer’s shadow cabinet - prominent roles for the likes of Liz Kendall, Peter Kyle, Hilary Benn and Pat McFadden gives his new-look top team a distinctly Blairite flavour.

Sir Keir will address the reshuffled Shadow Cabinet this morning, with a reshuffle of junior shadow ministers expected this afternoon.

Heart of London will continue our engagement with the Labour front bench, particularly at the Labour Party conference next month, as part of our ongoing public affairs work.

A full summary of the reshuffle:

• Angela Rayner has been appointed as the Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Shadow Deputy Prime Minister, replacing Lisa Nandy
• Lisa Nandy has been appointed as Shadow Cabinet Minister for International Development
• Darren Jones has been appointed Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Lucy Powell has been appointed Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
• Peter Kyle has been appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
• Hilary Benn will replace Peter Kyle as Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
• Nick Thomas-Symonds has been appointed Shadow Minister without Portfolio in the Cabinet Office
• Thangam Debbonaire has been appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
• Dr Rosena Allin Khan resigned from her role as Shadow Minister for Mental Health
• Liz Kendall has been appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, replacing Jonathan Ashworth
• Jonathan Ashworth has been appointed Paymaster General in the Cabinet Office
• Pat McFadden has been appointed Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Labour’s National Campaign Coordinator
• Steve Reed has been appointed as Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, replacing Jim McMahon
• Shabana Mahmood has been appointed as Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, replacing Steve Reed

If you are attending the Labour or Conservative Party conferences in October this year, please speak with Matt Panteli, Head of Public Affairs mattp@holba.london to discuss opportunities.