Sir Keir Starmer blindsides deputy Angela Rayner with surprise Labour reshuffle

Sir Keir Starmer conducted an extensive reshuffle of his top team yesterday, moving the majority of his shadow cabinet ministers and returning Yvette Cooper to the front bench.

Cooper, the home affairs committee chairwoman and former Brownite rising star, was appointed shadow home secretary. David Lammy, the New Labour-era minister, was made shadow foreign secretary. Lisa Nandy, who had been shadow foreign secretary, was appointed to shadow Michael Gove at the new Department for Levelling Up.

Wes Streeting was promoted to shadow health secretary, replacing Jonathan Ashworth, who was moved to shadow work and pensions.

The Labour leader announced the shake-up following concerns that he was failing to cut through to voters. The reshuffle blindsided Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, who was informed of it