Labour's surprise reshuffle has seen Louise Haigh appointed shadow transport secretary, replacing Jim McMahon who is moving to cover the environment, food and rural affairs brief.
Ms Haigh was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Heeley in May 2015 and served as shadow Northern Ireland secretary for just over a year and a half, having been appointed in April 2020.
Before that, Ms Haigh was shadow policing minister, a post that allowed her to draw on her experience as a former special constable.
Following the announcement, Ms Haigh said: 'It has been an incredible honour to serve as Shadow NI Secretary. I have met the most amazing people, committed to building peace and relationships across these islands.
'And such a privilege to defend Labour’s legacy on the Good Friday Agreement and its vision for a shared future.
'I'm now looking forward to getting stuck into the Tories on behalf of communities who have been sold out by their transport betrayal and developing Labour’s vision to deliver for the whole of the country.'
Elsewhere, Lisa Nandy has been moved from shadow Foreign Secretary to shadow secretary of state for levelling up, housing, communities and local government.
The popular Labour website Labour List described her move as 'technically' a demotion but one designed to bring out the best in the popular politician, well since her leadership bid is known for her passion for towns and local communities.
'Really this is a promotion because she is so well-suited to the role. It will see "Nandy unleashed" as a source close to her put it,' Labour List reported.
Ed Miliband is now shadow secretary for climate change and net zero, having had business removed from his brief.
In all, the reshuffle has been seen as a move to cement Labour leader Keir Starmer's centrist credentials, while also raising the position of Labour MPs with greater media support and profile - such as Yvette Cooper, who came in as shadow home secretary and David Lammy, who is now shadow foreign secretary.
A negative from the reshuffle appears to be the widening distrust between Mr Starmer and deputy leader Angela Rayner, who was delivering a keynote speech when the reshuffle began.
Mr Starmer said: 'I’m particularly delighted that Lisa Nandy will take on the vital role of shadowing Michael Gove and leading on the levelling up agenda. After 11 years of Conservative mismanagement of our economy, delivering prosperity to all regions and nations in the UK will be a defining mission of the next Labour government, and there will be nobody better than Lisa to lead this work.
'Climate change is the most important issue facing this country over the next decade. Ed Miliband will lead in the shadow cabinet to develop Labour’s extensive plans for net zero in a first term Labour government, and hold the government to account for its failure to take action. Ed has a proven track record in government, and is a powerful, internationally well respected voice on the issue, and that’s why I am delighted he has agreed to lead on this.
'Make Brexit Work is huge part of my agenda and that’s why I’ve asked Nick Thomas-Symonds to be in charge at International Trade and lead a Shadow Cabinet committee to deliver this crucial work.'
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
- Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Affairs: David Lammy
- Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care: Wes Streeting
- Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department: Yvette Cooper
- Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade: Nick Thomas-Symonds
- Shadow Minister of State at the Cabinet Office: Jenny Chapman
- Shadow Secretary of State for Justice: Steve Reed
- Shadow Secretary of State for Transport: Louise Haigh
- Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities, Party Chair and Chair of Labour Policy Review: Anneliese Dodds
- Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: Jonathan Ashworth
- Shadow Attorney General: Emily Thornberry
- Shadow Cabinet Minister for Mental Health: Rosena Allin-Khan
- Shadow Cabinet Minister for International Development: Preet Gill
- Shadow Chief Secretary to HM Treasury: Pat McFadden
- Shadow Secretary of State for Wales: Jo Stevens
- Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland: Ian Murray
- Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland: Peter Kyle
- National Campaign Coordinator: Shabana Mahmood
- Shadow Leader of the House of Commons: Thangam Debbonaire
- Shadow Chief Whip: Alan Campbell
- Shadow Leader of the House of Lords: Angela Smith
- Opposition Chief Whip in the House: Roy Kennedy
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