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Cameron reshuffles shadow team Cameron reshuffles shadow team
(9 minutes later)
Conservative leader David Cameron has reshuffled his shadow cabinet, bringing in more women and younger MPs.Conservative leader David Cameron has reshuffled his shadow cabinet, bringing in more women and younger MPs.
Education spokesman David Willetts has been moved and party chairman Francis Maude replaced by Caroline Spelman.Education spokesman David Willetts has been moved and party chairman Francis Maude replaced by Caroline Spelman.
Dame Pauline Neville-Jones, a career diplomat and former head of the Joint Intelligence Committee, becomes shadow secretary for security. Diplomat Dame Pauline Neville-Jones and Tory adviser Sayeeda Warsi will take up security and community cohesion roles.
Sayeeda Warsi is shadow community cohesion minister - thought to be the first Muslim in such a senior role. Labour described the shake-up as a "panicky reshuffle" in reaction to the extensive changes made by new PM Gordon Brown to his Cabinet.
The reshuffle comes four days after new PM Gordon Brown made extensive changes.
'Challenges''Challenges'
"These changes strengthen the shadow cabinet team and harness new talent within the party as we prepare for the next general election," Mr Cameron said. But Mr Cameron said: "These changes strengthen the shadow cabinet team and harness new talent within the party as we prepare for the next general election.
"Two of the big challenges facing this country today are security and community cohesion and we now have two leading experts in these fields in Dame Pauline Neville-Jones and Sayeeda Warsi.""Two of the big challenges facing this country today are security and community cohesion and we now have two leading experts in these fields in Dame Pauline Neville-Jones and Sayeeda Warsi."
Dame Pauline will be elevated to the House of Lords as a working peer, as will Ms Warsi, a British-born Muslim of Pakistani origin who was Conservative Party vice-chairwoman. Cameron has handed the reactionary wing of his party the scalps they were looking for Joan RyanLabour campaigns vice chair class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/6262546.stm">Analysis: Balancing act
That's a pretty big addition to our capacity David DavisShadow home secretary class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/6262546.stm">Analysis: Balancing act Former Joint Intelligence Committee head Dame Pauline will be elevated to the House of Lords as a working peer, as will Ms Warsi, a British-born Muslim of Pakistani origin who was Conservative Party vice-chairwoman.
Dame Pauline was most recently head of Mr Cameron's security policy review group, looking at national security, including terrorism, Islamic fundamentalism and social cohesion. Dame Pauline, who becomes shadow secretary for security, was most recently head of Mr Cameron's security policy review group, while Ms Warsi will become shadow community cohesion minister.
Shadow home secretary David Davis, who has retained his position, welcomed the shadow security appointments. Both appointments were welcomed by shadow home secretary David Davis, who has retained his position, as a "big addition to our capacity".
"That's a pretty big addition to our capacity," he said.
Mr Maude will remain in cabinet as shadow Cabinet Office minister, while Eric Pickles joins the shadow cabinet as shadow communities and local government secretary.
Shadow chancellor George Osborne retains his job and also becomes general election campaign co-ordinator.
Education splitEducation split
Among changes made by Mr Brown was the splitting of the education portfolio into two - the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills.Among changes made by Mr Brown was the splitting of the education portfolio into two - the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills.
Cameron didn't use the phrase "of all the talents" but it was clearly in his mind BBC political editor Nick Robinson class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/2007/07/anything_you_ca.html">Read Nick's thoughts in full Mr Cameron moved Mr Willetts to shadow John Denham as minister in charge of universities. Mr Cameron has moved Mr Willetts to shadow John Denham as minister in charge of universities.
Mr Willetts was widely blamed for the internal row over grammar schools when he distanced himself from the traditional Tory belief in academic selection. A speech by Mr Willetts kick-started the grammar schools row
Mr Willetts was widely blamed for the internal party row over grammar schools, following a speech he gave on the subject.
Labour MP Joan Ryan, the party's vice chair for campaigns, claimed he and Mr Maude had been demoted to appease right-wingers.
"Cameron has handed the reactionary wing of his party the scalps they were looking for," she said.
"Willetts has been moved from the schools portfolio because he was prepared to take on the Tory right wing on grammar schools...Maude, the original moderniser, has been demoted in the face of growing hostility from the grassroots to his reforms to the party."
Election co-ordinator
Mr Maude will remain in the shadow cabinet as shadow Cabinet Office minister, while Eric Pickles joins as shadow communities and local government secretary.
Shadow chancellor George Osborne retains his job and also becomes general election campaign co-ordinator.
Michael Gove, previously the Tory housing spokesman, will shadow Ed Balls on schools and children.Michael Gove, previously the Tory housing spokesman, will shadow Ed Balls on schools and children.
Mr Gove entered Parliament in 2005, as did Jeremy Hunt, who joins the shadow cabinet in charge of culture from being a spokesman on work and pensions.Mr Gove entered Parliament in 2005, as did Jeremy Hunt, who joins the shadow cabinet in charge of culture from being a spokesman on work and pensions.
'Grey vote'
Nick Herbert, who will handle justice, also enters the shadow cabinet. He had been spokesman on police reform.Nick Herbert, who will handle justice, also enters the shadow cabinet. He had been spokesman on police reform.
Other appointments include the first Conservative female chief whip - Baroness Anelay of St Johns will replace Lord Cope, who is retiring, as the Conservatives' chief whip in the Lords.Other appointments include the first Conservative female chief whip - Baroness Anelay of St Johns will replace Lord Cope, who is retiring, as the Conservatives' chief whip in the Lords.
The Labour Party said the reshuffle was "a sign of David Cameron's weakness". Tory backbencher Ann Winterton told the Parliamentary Monitor magazine that some of Mr Cameron's efforts to change the Conservatives had "left much of the party's traditional support baffled".
Joan Ryan, Labour vice-chair for campaigns, said: "While Labour is breaking ground with the first ever female home secretary and the youngest foreign secretary in a generation, Cameron's panicky reshuffle is only interested in staving off the threat from the right wing within his party." She urged the party leadership to remember the biggest group of those who would vote at the next general election were "those with grey hair".
"It is vital that they are not neglected as the policies are formulated," she added.