Emily Thornberry dropped as PM announces new ministers

Lengthy-time shadow cupboard minister Emily Thornberry could have no ministerial position within the new Labour authorities, the BBC understands.

In an announcement Ms Thornberry stated she is “very sorry and stunned” after not being appointed Legal professional Common in Sir Keir Starmer’s authorities, having held the position in opposition for 3 years.

Sir Keir insisted Ms Thornberry has a “huge half to play” in Labour, however didn’t say in what capability.

Her identify was absent from Monday’s appointments, as Sir Keir introduced new ministerial jobs within the Labour authorities after final week’s landslide victory.

Richard Hermer KC was appointed Legal professional Common – the chief authorized adviser to the federal government. He isn’t an MP and will probably be given a life peerage to permit him to take a seat within the Home of Lords and take up the submit.

Anneliese Dodds, who till final week was chair of the Labour occasion, has additionally been given a cupboard position, with a job within the International Workplace alongside a task as girls and equalities minister.

Ms Thornberry had served within the shadow cupboard since 2016, rising to each shadow overseas secretary and shadow first minister of state below Jeremy Corbyn.

In 2020 she ran towards Sir Keir to take over as chief of Labour after Mr Corbyn stood down; then served in his shadow cupboard in opposition.

In an announcement on social media about being dropped, Ms Thornberry stated that her “private disappointment” doesn’t “detract from the superb and historic victory that each one of us within the Labour motion labored collectively to win final week”.

Regardless of being “very sorry and stunned not to have the ability to proceed” working as Legal professional Common in authorities, she stated Mr Hermer “a way more completed lawyer than I may ever hope to be – will do an impressive job”.

The final line of her assertion ignited some hypothesis in Westminster about potential plans for a future position in authorities.

She signed off her assertion saying: “I’ll proceed giving my unstinting loyalty to our Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, as he leads that work, as I’ve performed since he turned chief, and I sit up for supporting his authorities in each approach I can within the years to return.”

Chatting with reporters in Wales, the prime minister stated: “I am placing collectively a really robust workforce based mostly on delivering.

“We received a really robust mandate on the basic election, a mandate for change, a mandate for doing politics in a different way, and about service. That is why I am placing my workforce collectively.

“Emily Thornberry has been incredible, she’s received an enormous half to play, as has each single considered one of my now 412 Labour MPs.”

Stephen Kinnock has been moved on from his temporary overlaying immigration, one of many new authorities’s key priorities, taking over a brand new position within the Well being and Social Care Division.

Nick Thomas-Symonds has not been given a Cupboard position after 4 years within the shadow cupboard and now holds a senior ministerial place overseeing European relations.

The prime minister plucked each Sir Stephen Timms and Dame Diana Johnson from the backbenches and put in them within the departments that they had been shadowing as committee chairs within the final parliament.

Dame Diana, the previous chair of the Dwelling Affairs Committee, turns into a minister within the Dwelling Workplace; and Sir Stephen returns to authorities as a Work and Pensions Minister, a task he held within the Blair authorities.

His appointment means three present MPs who served in Tony Blair’s Cupboard at the moment are in authorities – the others being Northern Eire Secretary Hilary Benn and Enterprise Minister Douglas Alexander.

One other Blair-era returnee is Lord Livermore, who labored as a particular advisor to Gordon Brown throughout his time as chancellor, who turns into Monetary Secretary to the Treasury.

Maria Eagle and Dame Angela Eagle, who made historical past as the primary twins to serve in authorities on the similar time below Gordon Brown, each return as ministers. Dame Angela turns into Dwelling Workplace minister, whereas Ms Eagle will serve within the Ministry of Defence.

Sir Keir’s new ministerial appointments proceed to supply some shock bulletins, with roles for specialists with no earlier connection to his shadow cupboard.

Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, chairman of Community Rail, will probably be a transport minister. Lord Hendy, who beforehand led Transport for London (TfL) below Ken Livingstone, has served within the Home of Lords as an unbiased crossbench peer since 2022.

His appointment follows the sooner appointments of ex-government chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance and head of the Jail Reform Belief James Timpson as ministers.

Heidi Alexander returned to the Commons on Thursday after six years as deputy mayor of London – and has been immediately appointed a justice minister.

The complete record of latest ministerial appointments made on Monday are:

• Anneliese Dodds as International Minister and Girls and Equalities Minister within the Division for Schooling
• Nick Thomas-Symonds as Paymaster Common and Minister for the Structure and European Relations
• Lord Livermore as Monetary Secretary to the Treasury
• Stephen Doughty as International Workplace Minister
• Angela Eagle as Dwelling Workplace Minister
• Diana Johnson as Dwelling Workplace Minister
• Lord Coaker as Defence Minister
• Maria Eagle as Defence Minister
• Heidi Alexander as Justice Minister
• Karin Smyth as Well being and Social Care Minister
• Stephen Kinnock as Well being and Social Care Minister
• Catherine McKinnell as Schooling Minister
• Sarah Jones as Power Safety and Web Zero Minister and Enterprise and Commerce Minister
• Alison McGovern as Work and Pensions Minister
• Stephen Timms as Work and Pensions Minister
• Chris Bryant as Science, Innovation and Know-how Minister and Tradition, Media and Sports activities Minister
• Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill as Transport Minister
• Daniel Zeichner as Atmosphere, Meals and Rural Affairs Minister