Who’s who in Kemi Badenoch’s new shadow cabinet?
The new Tory leader is appointing her top team – with a big name comeback and a role for a rival in the leadership race.
After emerging victorious in the Tory leadership race, Kemi Badenoch is unveiling her top team in her new shadow cabinet.
Ms Badenoch, who beat Robert Jenrick to become the new Tory leader, has said the party’s first duty would be to hold Labour to account and to prepare for government by the time of the next election.
Here are the appointments she has made so far:
Dame Priti Patel – shadow foreign secretary
The former home secretary – who resigned from the role when Liz Truss was prime minister – has been brought back on to the frontbenches as shadow foreign secretary.
She is most well known for launching the Rwanda plan to send illegal immigrants to the African country to be processed.
Mel Stride – shadow chancellor
The work and pensions secretary under Rishi Sunak has been appointed as Ms Badenoch’s shadow chancellor.
Seen as a moderate Conservative and a Sunak supporter, he was chair of the cross-party Treasury Select Committee for three years after being financial secretary to the Treasury for two years.
Dame Rebecca Harris – chief whip
Dame Rebecca has been the Conservative MP for the Essex constituency of Castle Point since May 2010 and will replace Stuart Andrew as chief whip.
The role will see her enforce party discipline and try to ensure MPs vote in line with the leadership.
Dame Rebecca, who supported the Leave campaign during the 2016 Brexit referendum, was also Comptroller of the Household between 2022 and 2024 – an ancient and largely ceremonial role handed to a government whip.
Nigel Huddleston and Lord Johnson – joint party chairmen
Nigel Huddleston and Dominic Johnson have been appointed joint chairmen of the Conservative Party.
The role involves overseeing Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) and internal party administration.
Laura Trott – shadow education secretary
Laura Trott, who served as chief secretary to the Treasury under Rishi Sunak, has been appointed shadow education secretary.
Ms Trott has been the MP for Sevenoaks since 2019 and has held other ministerial roles, including work and pensions minister.
