Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is carrying out a reshuffle of his shadow cabinet as the party prepares for the next general election, expected in 2024.
But who has won a promotion in the ranks? Who has been demoted to a lower position? And who is returning to the backbenchers after a stint in a top job?
The first of the big winners is deputy party leader Angela Rayner, having been formally appointed as the shadow deputy prime minister, solidifying herself in the role if Labour wins the next election. She has also been named shadow levelling up secretary – giving her a departmental brief to get her teeth into.
A Labour source also said she would remain the “strategic lead on Labour’s new deal for working people”.
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Another rise in the ranks was announced with the news that Shabana Mahmood would take over as shadow justice secretary.
Sky News understands she is a key ally to Sir Keir and has been credited with helping transform the party and its campaign machine while acting as its national campaign co-ordinator.
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Former leadership contender Liz Kendall has also received a vote in confidence with a big promotion – going from a junior shadow health minister to shadow work and pensions secretary.
Another leap to a full departmental brief was given to Thangam Debbonaire, who has gone from a more obscure role as shadow leader of the Commons to shadow secretary for culture, media and sport.
Image: Liz Kendall and Darren Jones are among those Labour MPs getting promoted today. Pics: PA/Rita Franca/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Pat McFadden had been a senior player in the Treasury team, having held the role of shadow chief secretary to the Treasury.
But now he will take over as the shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster – a strange title in the Cabinet Office, previously held by Ms Rayner – and as the national campaign co-ordinator.
Perhaps more of a sideways shift than a full-on promotion was gained by Peter Kyle. Having been shadow Northern Ireland secretary, he already held a key role – with ongoing issues at Stormont and continued fallout from Brexit.
He will now take on the shadow science, innovation and technology post – a key part of policy going forward when it comes to jobs and growth.
However, Darren Jones has definitely been promoted as a new member of the shadow cabinet.
He won plaudits as the chair of the business select committee – especially when it came to questioning prominent ministers – and the strong communicator now takes on the role of shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, with the hope he will aid Labour’s economic credibility in the coming months.
Another new entry to Sir Keir’s team, though a well-known name from the past, is Hilary Benn, who comes in as shadow Northern Ireland secretary.
He held multiple government roles in the Blair and Brown years – including environment secretary – and numerous shadow positions since, such as Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow foreign secretary. But he now returns after a seven-year absence from the frontbench.
A more minor promotion, but one all the same, is for Ellie Reeves. She had held a junior position as a shadow justice minister, but now adds deputy national campaign co-ordinator to her job title.
Demoted
One of the biggest casualties of the reshuffle was Lisa Nandy, who lost her position as shadow levelling up secretary to Ms Rayner.
She has been appointed as the shadow minister for international development – essentially the second in command to the shadow foreign secretary – and will keep her seat at the cabinet table.
But it is a lower position than being in charge of shadowing an entire department, and our deputy political editor Sam Coates understands it was a “pretty brutal” conversation between her and Sir Keir.
Less of a big hit was taken by Steve Reed, who has gone from shadow justice secretary to shadow environment secretary.
While the brief may traditionally have been seen as a lesser role, environmental issues often lead to key debates with voters, so it could still be a fruitful place for Mr Reed to make his mark.
One clear demotion was for Lucy Powell, losing her spot as shadow culture secretary. But again, she has been given the consolation prize of leader of the House.
Image: Jonathan Ashworth and Lisa Nandy lost roles – but were put elsewhere in the shadow cabinet
Meanwhile, Jonathan Ashworth has taken a hit, moving from shadow work and pensions secretary to the more obscure role of shadow paymaster general.
But Sky News understands he will stay as a full shadow cabinet member and will play a big role in the general election campaign.
Nick Thomas-Symonds also loses his post as shadow secretary for international trade, but again keeps his cabinet position as a shadow minister without portfolio in the Cabinet Office.
Gone
Kicking off proceedings today was the resignation of Jim McMahon, who quit his post as shadow environment secretary.
In his letter to Sir Keir, Mr McMahon said there was “still some way to go” in his recovery from a serious illness – reported in the Mirror earlier this year as an infection that led him to two weeks in hospital – and he wanted to resign “for the benefit of both my health and my family”.
The party leader thanked him for his service, and also revealed Mr McMahon had been subject to “abuse [and] violent threats” during his time in post.
Image: Rosena Allin-Khan and Jim McMahon are both heading to the backbenches
Another resignation came from Rosena Allin-Khan, who stepped down as the shadow minister for mental health.
Writing to Sir Keir, she revealed tensions, saying: “As discussed previously, and in our call earlier, you made clear that you do not see a space for a mental health portfolio in a Labour cabinet, which is why I told you many weeks ago that I would not be able to continue in this role.”
But she thanked him for the opportunity and promised to fight for a Labour government from the backbenches.
Two other MPs have seen their roles removed and given to someone else – Fleur Anderson who was shadow paymaster general, and Preet Kaur Gill, who was shadow minister for international development.
Sir Keir Starmer is under mounting pressure to raise Israel’s bombardment of Gaza with Donald Trump during his UK state visit, after a UN Commission said a genocide was taking place.
Sir Ed, who is boycotting the state dinner being held for Mr Trump, said Sir Keir must “press” the president now.
He said: “What is happening in Gaza is a genocide. And the president of the United States, who wants a Nobel Peace Prize, is doing nothing to stop it.”
Image: Displaced Palestinians flee northern Gaza. Pic: AP
Israel‘s foreign ministry said it “categorically rejects this distorted and false report” and called for the commission to be abolished.
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3:05
Is Israel committing genocide?
‘We cannot be bystanders’
Reports suggest the situation will be a talking point between Sir Keir and Mr Trump during his visit.
It comes before the UK is due to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly later this month, along with allies including Canada and France.
In a late night statement, Canada’s foreign ministry described the Gaza City offensive as “horrific”.
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed added: “We have long said that Hamas is genocidal and condemned them for their actions.
“Now, I think we have to say that what the Netanyahu government is doing amounts to genocide.”
Labour MP Rosena Allin-Khan, a former shadow minister, also called on her party leader to make discussing the situation in Gaza with Mr Trump a “top priority”.
Speaking to Sky News’ Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge, she said: “We say ‘never again’ when we look at Bosnia and Rwanda, but here we are again, and it’s been livestreamed, and we’ve all seen it.
“We cannot be bystanders to a genocide.”
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8:51
‘We cannot be bystanders’
UN report pulls no punches
The accusation of genocide is made by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
It alleges Israel has been “killing Palestinians or forcing them to live in inhumane conditions that led to death; causing serious bodily or mental harm, including through torture, displacement and sexual crime; deliberately imposing inhumane conditions, and fourthly, imposing measures intending to prevent births”.
Earlier this month, the International Association of Genocide Scholars also passed a resolution stating that Israel’s conduct passed the threshold of committing genocide.
However, a report from the British government said it had “not concluded” that Israel intended to “destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial or religious group”.
Nearly 65,000 people are now believed to have died, according to figures collated by Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count.
Downing Street has insisted its migrant returns scheme with France is not a “shambles” after the High Court blocked a man’s deportation.
Having seen the previous Conservative government’s Rwanda scheme run into trouble with the courts, the Labour administration’s alternative suffered its own setback on Tuesday.
An Eritrean man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was due to be on a flight to France this morning.
He brought a legal claim against the Home Office, with lawyers acting on his behalf saying the case “concerns a trafficking claim”.
They also said he had a gunshot wound to his leg, and would be left destitute if he was deported.
The Home Office said it was reasonable to expect him to have claimed asylum in France before he reached the UK in August, but the ruling went in his favour.
Mr Justice Sheldon granted the man a “brief period of interim relief”.
While the judge said there did not appear to be a “real risk” he would face destitution in France, the trafficking claim required further interrogation.
He said the case should return to court “as soon as is reasonably practical in light of the further representations the claimant […] will make on his trafficking decision”.
A Number 10 spokesperson downplayed the development, insisting removals under the deal with France will start “imminently” and ministers are not powerless in the face of the courts.
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1:08
‘One in, one out’ deal: What do we know?
‘We told you so’
The pilot scheme was announced to much fanfare in July, after Emmanuel Macron made a state visit to the UK.
He wants the number of migrants being returned to France to gradually increase over the course of the scheme, to deter them from coming in small boats.
The pilot came into force last month and is in place until June 2026.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch was quick to say “we told you so” following Tuesday’s court decision, while Reform UK’s Nigel Farage criticised the government’s plan.
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2:18
Migrant deal with France has ‘started’
The small boats crisis represents one of the biggest challenges for the new home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, following her promotion in Sir Keir’s recent reshuffle.
Describing the former justice secretary as “very tough”, he said: “She’s completely for real. I’ve known her for over 10 years – she really wants to see law and order restored.”
The UK has discussed adopting a more crypto-friendly approach with the US in a bid to boost industry innovation and attract more investment to Britain.