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Who is who in the conservative shadow cabinet?

Who is who in the conservative shadow cabinet?

The first shadow cabinet meeting under new Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch will take place on Tuesday.

While many roles have yet to be announced, here’s a look at the people appointed to the new Tory front benches so far.

– Robert Jenrick, shadow justice secretary

It is believed the man punched by Ms Badenoch in the Conservative members’ last vote has been given the role of shadow judge.

Under successive Prime Ministers he was Minister of Immigration, Minister of Health, Minister of Housing and Minister of Finance.

Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch after the leadership result was announced
Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch after the leadership result was announced (PA)

He had been MP for Newark since 2014 and resigned from his immigration role under Sunak because he felt the Rwanda plan did not go far enough.

During his leadership campaign, the former lawyer advocated leaving the European Convention on Human Rights and called for a strong stance on immigration.

However, Nigel Huddleston, one of the two new Tory co-chairs, told GB News on Tuesday morning that reports of Mr Jenrick becoming shadow justice secretary “may well be going too far”.

– Dame Priti Patel, Shadow Foreign Secretary

The second of the leadership candidates to be given a role in the shadow cabinet, she returns to the Tory front benches after serving as home secretary under old ally Boris Johnson, during which time she launched the Rwanda deportation programme.

Priti Patel launches her leadership campaign for the Conservative Party
Priti Patel launches her leadership campaign for the Conservative Party (PA)

Dame Priti was first elected in Witham in 2010 and was forced to resign as International Development Minister in 2017 after failing to disclose he had met senior Israeli politicians while on holiday.

– Mel Stride, Shadow Chancellor

The third former leadership rival appointed by Ms Badenoch to the shadow cabinet, Mr Stride, has previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer and as chairman of the Treasury Select Committee.

He has been MP for Central Devon since 2010 and belonged to the more moderate wing of the party. He was Work and Pensions Secretary in Rishi Sunak’s government and often appeared on morning broadcasts.

– Laura Trott, Shadow Education Secretary

She has been the MP for Sevenoaks since 2019 and served in Cabinet under Mr Sunak – who she supported in his leadership bid – as Principal Secretary to the Treasury, having previously served as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

She was a supporter of Ms Badenoch at the last leadership election and made her Commons debut in her new role on Monday in response to the Government’s announcement of a rise in university fees.

Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott speaks
Shadow education secretary Laura Trott speaks after Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson spoke about tuition fees in the House of Commons (House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA)

– Neil O’Brien, Shadow Education Minister

The former health minister was also employed by the House of Commons on Monday in his new role on education issues.

The MP for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston worked as an adviser to George Osborne and Theresa May before being elected in 2017.

– Dame Rebecca Harris, Chief Whip

Interim chief executive Stuart Andrew revealed on Sunday he was being replaced by the Essex MP.

Dame Rebecca, who has represented Castle Point since 2010, has been whip since 2018.

Nigel Huddleston speaks to reporters
Nigel Huddleston speaks to reporters after the Budget (PA)

– Nigel Huddleston, Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party

Ms Badenoch has told Tory staff that her co-chairs were chosen because of their breadth of experience within the party, it is understood.

Mr Huddleston is a supporter of the new leader, despite belonging to a more moderate wing of the party, and is moving from the shadow team at the Treasury. Since 2015 he has been MP for Droitwich and Evesham, formerly Mid Worcestershire.

– Lord Dominic Johnson, Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party

The other co-chair worked as trade minister with the new party leader and was Tory deputy leader under Theresa May. He was made a peer during Lis Truss’s period in Number 10, where he was Investment Minister. He was detained by Mr Sunak.

Johnson, a major donor to the party, has held several ministerial positions and co-founded Somerset Capital Management with former Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg.