Keir Starmer accused of promoting ‘narrow band of Blairites’ as he demotes Lisa Nandy

Starmer insists he has put ‘strongest players on pitch’, as changes see comebacks for Liz Kendall and Hilary Benn

Sir Keir Starmer gave Angela Rayner Lisa Nandy’s levelling up role (PA Wire)

Sir Keir Starmer said his shadow cabinet reshuffle meant Labour has the “strongest possible players on the pitch” after demoting Lisa Nandy ahead of the next election.

The biggest winner in the top team shake-up looked to be his deputy Angela Rayner, who was given Ms Nandy’s wide-ranging levelling up brief and formally appointed shadow deputy prime minister.

The decision to move Ms Rayner, who had previously been shadowing the Cabinet Office, saw Ms Nandy – seen as a leading figure in Labour’s “soft left” – demoted to the international development brief.

It means the Wigan MP, who rivalled Sir Keir for the leadership in 2020, is now only deputy to shadow foreign secretary David Lammy – a position he replaced her in a little under two years ago.

A source close to Ms Nandy signalled there would be no dissent over her relegation, stating that she is a “team player” and was looking forward to “getting stuck into her new role”.

But pressure groups Momentum and Compass accused Sir Keir of promoting a “narrow band of Blairites” – arguing the reshuffle amounted to “a shift to the right and a narrowing of the diversity of views”.

Following negotiations with Sir Keir, Ms Rayner has emerged in a stronger position with a bolstered set of responsibilities. Her widely tipped move to the levelling up brief, a role that takes in housing and economic opportunities outside of the South East, went more smoothly for the leader than the reshuffle in May 2021.

Other close Starmer allies were handed promotions, including Shabana Mahmood, who made the jump from national campaign coordinator to shadow justice secretary.

The Birmingham Ladywood MP is understood to have been given her new role as a reward for helping to reshape the party’s campaign machine and overseeing by-election and local election successes since her appointment two years ago.

Lisa Nandy was demoted to international development (PA Archive)

Liz Kendall, who unsuccessfully ran for the leadership in 2015 against Jeremy Corbyn and is considered to be on the right of the party, was promoted to shadow work and pensions secretary after impressing in her former social care brief.

Pat McFadden, a former political secretary to ex-prime minister Sir Tony Blair, moves from shadow Treasury chief secretary to shadow Cabinet Office minister, while also taking on the campaign coordinator position vacated by Ms Mahmood’s promotion.

Rising star Darren Jones, who had made a name for himself grilling ministers in his position as chair of the business and trade select committee, was given Mr McFadden’s previous post.

Sir Keir also filled his shadow cabinet with more experience, appointing Hilary Benn as shadow Northern Ireland secretary. He served in the cabinet during Labour’s last term in power.

Liz Kendall returns to the Labour front bench (Getty)

Speaking to broadcasters in Westminster about his revamp, Sir Keir said his reforms to the party meant he was “now in a position to put our top team on the table, to show it to the country”.

He added: “I think what is important is to recognise that with this reshuffle, we now have the strongest possible players on the pitch for what is going to be a crucial part of the journey.”

Neal Lawson, director of centre-left campaign group Compass, said the reshuffle “represents a shift to the right and a narrowing of the diversity of views at the top of the Labour Party”.

The campaigner, an advocate of tactical voting, added: “People should be promoted based not solely on obedience to one small faction in the party, but on their ideas, competence and ability to deliver.”

The left-wing pressure group Momentum accused Sir Keir of promoting “a narrow band of Blairites unwilling to offer the decisive change the country is crying out for” – adding that it was “frankly alarming” to see Ms Kendall back on the front bench.

Other changes made saw Lucy Powell and Thangam Debbonaire effectively undergo a job swap, with Ms Powell moved over to shadow Commons leader and Ms Debbonaire taking over the culture brief.

Jonathan Ashworth was also demoted but is said to be pleased with ‘fixer’ brief (PA Archive)

There were also demotions for Jonathan Ashworth and Nick Thomas-Symonds, who were removed from their work and pensions and international trade briefs respectively and given lesser Cabinet Office-shadowing roles.

Mr Ashworth, in his new position as paymaster general, is expected to play a central role at the next general election. He was said to be pleased with the change since it plays to his strengths as a fixer and strategist.

Steve Reed was shifted from justice to environment, taking Jim McMahon’s role after he resigned to “focus on getting my health back to full strength”.

Elsewhere, Rosena Allin-Khan announced she was quitting as shadow mental health minister after she said Sir Keir had refused to bump up the position.

In a letter posted on Twitter/X, the qualified doctor criticised Sir Keir. “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.”

Greg Hands, chair of the Tory party, said: “This reshuffle shows Sir Keir Starmer offers no new ideas, just more of the same old short-term approach to politics which has failed this country.”