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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2016/oct/07/jeremy-corbyn-labour-shadow-cabinet-reshuffle-live
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| Labour reshuffle: Tom Watson tipped to become shadow culture secretary – live updates | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 5.33pm BST | |
| 17:33 | |
| Some interesting trends on the opposing frontbenches as they stand: the shadow cabinet looks more London-centric than the government. But it also has more MPs representing constituencies in Wales and northern England. | |
| The government has a cabinet member in Scotland: the Scotland secretary David Mundell. His shadow David Anderson represents the Tyneside constituency Blaydon. | |
| Yesterday, Jeremy Corbyn stressed the regional balance in his top team. He said Jonathan Reynolds’ appointment as shadow economic secretary to the treasury, which is not a cabinet position, meant there were 10 MPs from northern England on the front bench. | |
| 5.19pm BST | |
| 17:19 | |
| Anushka Asthana | |
| Strong rumour that Tom Watson could become shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport. | |
| 4.56pm BST | 4.56pm BST |
| 16:56 | 16:56 |
| New shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth tweets: | New shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth tweets: |
| The NHS was and still is Labour's greatest achievement. On the brink of crisis under the Tories & going backwards. We'll be campaigning hard | The NHS was and still is Labour's greatest achievement. On the brink of crisis under the Tories & going backwards. We'll be campaigning hard |
| 4.49pm BST | 4.49pm BST |
| 16:49 | 16:49 |
| Political editor Anushka Asthana tweets: | Political editor Anushka Asthana tweets: |
| One MP tipped to join shadow cabinet says "moderate" Mps can learn from Corbyn in enthusing base but feels this reshuffle not reaching out | One MP tipped to join shadow cabinet says "moderate" Mps can learn from Corbyn in enthusing base but feels this reshuffle not reaching out |
| 4.39pm BST | 4.39pm BST |
| 16:39 | 16:39 |
| With John McDonnell expected to remain shadow chancellor and Emily Thornberry likely to retain the foreign affairs brief, the three most senior positions in the body are all held by staunch-Corbyn supporters - and London MPs. The reshuffle saw little-known MPs moved around, including a promotion for Jo Stevens who was handed shadow Welsh secretary and Nia Griffith moved to the shadow defence brief, while Dawn Butler and Jonathan Reynolds were offered ministerial positions. | With John McDonnell expected to remain shadow chancellor and Emily Thornberry likely to retain the foreign affairs brief, the three most senior positions in the body are all held by staunch-Corbyn supporters - and London MPs. The reshuffle saw little-known MPs moved around, including a promotion for Jo Stevens who was handed shadow Welsh secretary and Nia Griffith moved to the shadow defence brief, while Dawn Butler and Jonathan Reynolds were offered ministerial positions. |
| Ms Butler, shadow minister for diverse communities, denied that Mr Corbyn had failed to appoint the party’s more experienced MPs to top jobs because they had opposed him in the leadership election: “They might be obscure but they are competent,” she said of the new team. | Ms Butler, shadow minister for diverse communities, denied that Mr Corbyn had failed to appoint the party’s more experienced MPs to top jobs because they had opposed him in the leadership election: “They might be obscure but they are competent,” she said of the new team. |
| Stevens also defended Corbyn’s appointments, insisting he had reached out to political opponents. “I didn’t support Jeremy in the leadership election, neither did Keir Starmer, neither did Nia Griffith and I don’t think Sarah Champion did either,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. | Stevens also defended Corbyn’s appointments, insisting he had reached out to political opponents. “I didn’t support Jeremy in the leadership election, neither did Keir Starmer, neither did Nia Griffith and I don’t think Sarah Champion did either,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. |
| “I was one of the senior people in Owen Smith’s leadership campaign, and he’s [Corbyn] offered me a post on the shadow cabinet. Good leadership is about listening, influencing, persuading and an element of compromise.” | “I was one of the senior people in Owen Smith’s leadership campaign, and he’s [Corbyn] offered me a post on the shadow cabinet. Good leadership is about listening, influencing, persuading and an element of compromise.” |
| 4.22pm BST | 4.22pm BST |
| 16:22 | 16:22 |
| Further to the hints given by Tony Blair about a possible return to frontline politics, one source familiar with the former prime minister’s plans said: “He is quite keen to try and organise some sort of institute - more than a thinktank but less than a political party - which would provide a platform for people with experience of government and business to to formulate policy and look at big solutions to big policy.” | Further to the hints given by Tony Blair about a possible return to frontline politics, one source familiar with the former prime minister’s plans said: “He is quite keen to try and organise some sort of institute - more than a thinktank but less than a political party - which would provide a platform for people with experience of government and business to to formulate policy and look at big solutions to big policy.” |
| Many senior Labour backbenchers at the party’s recent conference in Liverpoool talked about the need to develop policies that could be adopted by a more centrist future leader. | Many senior Labour backbenchers at the party’s recent conference in Liverpoool talked about the need to develop policies that could be adopted by a more centrist future leader. |
| Blair is said to have been disappointed by the lack of radical thinking by rebel Labour MPs - and the failure of leadership challenger Owen Smith to take on Jeremy Corbyn’s philosophy. He wants to try to chart a path between “the ‘Ukipisation’ of the Conservatives and the ‘militantisation’ of Labour”, the source said. | Blair is said to have been disappointed by the lack of radical thinking by rebel Labour MPs - and the failure of leadership challenger Owen Smith to take on Jeremy Corbyn’s philosophy. He wants to try to chart a path between “the ‘Ukipisation’ of the Conservatives and the ‘militantisation’ of Labour”, the source said. |
| 3.52pm BST | 3.52pm BST |
| 15:52 | 15:52 |
| Anushka Asthana | Anushka Asthana |
| Jeremy Corbyn has promoted Jonathan Ashworth to become his shadow health secretary but would like the Labour MP give up his place on the party’s national executive committee in return, the Guardian understands. | Jeremy Corbyn has promoted Jonathan Ashworth to become his shadow health secretary but would like the Labour MP give up his place on the party’s national executive committee in return, the Guardian understands. |
| The Leicester politician, who is widely seen as an effective opponent to the Conservatives, will take on the health secretary Jeremy Hunt amid the long-running battle between his department and junior doctors over a new contract. | The Leicester politician, who is widely seen as an effective opponent to the Conservatives, will take on the health secretary Jeremy Hunt amid the long-running battle between his department and junior doctors over a new contract. |
| The health position was vacated after Corbyn moved Diane Abbott into the shadow home secretary role and sacked his chief whip, Rosie Winterton, in a post-conference reshuffle that some MPs have described as vengeful. | The health position was vacated after Corbyn moved Diane Abbott into the shadow home secretary role and sacked his chief whip, Rosie Winterton, in a post-conference reshuffle that some MPs have described as vengeful. |
| Maintaining Emily Thornberry as shadow foreign secretary, Corbyn said: “These appointments mean, for the first time ever, two out of the three traditional ‘great offices of state’ will be shadowed by women.” | Maintaining Emily Thornberry as shadow foreign secretary, Corbyn said: “These appointments mean, for the first time ever, two out of the three traditional ‘great offices of state’ will be shadowed by women.” |
| Ashworth has remained loyal in public media appearances but is not seen as a supporter of the leadership team, which is why Corbyn would like him to quit the finely balanced NEC. The makeup of Labour’s controlling committee is seen as key, as it controls any changes that could affect how the party is made up. | Ashworth has remained loyal in public media appearances but is not seen as a supporter of the leadership team, which is why Corbyn would like him to quit the finely balanced NEC. The makeup of Labour’s controlling committee is seen as key, as it controls any changes that could affect how the party is made up. |
| 3.49pm BST | 3.49pm BST |
| 15:49 | 15:49 |
| Ashworth takes shadow health | Ashworth takes shadow health |
| Jon Ashworth, the shadow cabinet office minister, has been appointed the new shadow health secretary, Labour sources said. | Jon Ashworth, the shadow cabinet office minister, has been appointed the new shadow health secretary, Labour sources said. |
| 3.16pm BST | 3.16pm BST |
| 15:16 | 15:16 |
| Time for me to bow out now, politics lovers. Further reshuffle news and politics developments will follow on the liveblog. | Time for me to bow out now, politics lovers. Further reshuffle news and politics developments will follow on the liveblog. |
| Remember, be nice to each other out there this weekend. As Mike Hookem might say: “No face-slapping, no digs, nothing.” | Remember, be nice to each other out there this weekend. As Mike Hookem might say: “No face-slapping, no digs, nothing.” |
| 3.12pm BST | 3.12pm BST |
| 15:12 | 15:12 |
| The home secretary’s new stance on immigration has been sharply criticised by her own brother, who accused the government of “denigrating foreigners”. | The home secretary’s new stance on immigration has been sharply criticised by her own brother, who accused the government of “denigrating foreigners”. |
| Financial PR guru Roland Rudd said the public do not want an “intolerant Britain”, after Amber Rudd set out tough immigration proposals designed to bring down numbers in the wake of the Brexit vote. | Financial PR guru Roland Rudd said the public do not want an “intolerant Britain”, after Amber Rudd set out tough immigration proposals designed to bring down numbers in the wake of the Brexit vote. |
| They include plans to force UK businesses to publish the number of foreign workers they employ - a move that drew widespread criticism. | They include plans to force UK businesses to publish the number of foreign workers they employ - a move that drew widespread criticism. |
| In a key speech delivered at the Tory Party conference this week, Ms Rudd said businesses and universities could face new restrictions on recruiting overseas workers and students. | In a key speech delivered at the Tory Party conference this week, Ms Rudd said businesses and universities could face new restrictions on recruiting overseas workers and students. |
| Speaking about the new approach to immigration, Mr Rudd told BBC Radio 4: | Speaking about the new approach to immigration, Mr Rudd told BBC Radio 4: |
| I do not think people voted for an intolerant, closed Britain. I think denigrating foreigners is wrong, treating eastern Europeans as second-class citizens is shameful, and hate crime is appalling, and I hope it’s time that good people everywhere actually are counted and speak out. | I do not think people voted for an intolerant, closed Britain. I think denigrating foreigners is wrong, treating eastern Europeans as second-class citizens is shameful, and hate crime is appalling, and I hope it’s time that good people everywhere actually are counted and speak out. |
| Mending free movement of people doesn’t mean you end it and I think the language you use towards people who are different is incredibly important. We don’t want a society where we just only talk about what’s right for British workers as if people who’ve come from Europe who now live and work here are not part of society - they are. We need a big, bold move from this Government to immediately say now that every European that lives and works here can stay and live and work here.” | Mending free movement of people doesn’t mean you end it and I think the language you use towards people who are different is incredibly important. We don’t want a society where we just only talk about what’s right for British workers as if people who’ve come from Europe who now live and work here are not part of society - they are. We need a big, bold move from this Government to immediately say now that every European that lives and works here can stay and live and work here.” |
| Rudd, who founded the Finsbury financial PR firm, added: “I think my sister is an amazingly talented wonderful woman, but we don’t have to share the same view on everything all the time. I don’t understand this attack on enterprise, on globalisation, in the way that we’ve heard it this week. I think we have to remember what’s best about Britain is its openness, its tolerance.” | Rudd, who founded the Finsbury financial PR firm, added: “I think my sister is an amazingly talented wonderful woman, but we don’t have to share the same view on everything all the time. I don’t understand this attack on enterprise, on globalisation, in the way that we’ve heard it this week. I think we have to remember what’s best about Britain is its openness, its tolerance.” |
| 2.47pm BST | 2.47pm BST |
| 14:47 | 14:47 |
| Update from Anushka: | Update from Anushka: |
| In fact, I'm now sure that Jonathan Ashworth is to be shadow health secretary. No conclusion yet on NEC position but looks likely it'll go. | In fact, I'm now sure that Jonathan Ashworth is to be shadow health secretary. No conclusion yet on NEC position but looks likely it'll go. |
| This most recent tweet from Jonathan Ashworth looks to confirm the move: | This most recent tweet from Jonathan Ashworth looks to confirm the move: |
| The NHS was and still is Labour's greatest achievement. On the brink of crisis under the Tories & going backwards. We'll be campaigning hard | The NHS was and still is Labour's greatest achievement. On the brink of crisis under the Tories & going backwards. We'll be campaigning hard |