Labour names former social worker shadow children's minister
Neil Puffett
Monday, October 10, 2016
A former frontline child protection worker has been named as Labour's shadow children's minister following the completion of a reshuffle of the party's frontbench that has seen Angela Rayner stay on as shadow education secretary.
Emma Lewell-Buck, who will shadow Edward Timpson, worked as a social worker at South Tyneside Council from 2007, before leaving her job after winning the South Shields parliamentary seat in May 2013, in a by-election triggered by the resignation of former Foreign Secretary David Miliband.
Labour has been without a shadow children's minister since June, following the resignation of Sharon Hodgson, one of a number of Labour MPs to resign over concerns about the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn.
Meanwhile, Tulip Siddiq, Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, has been appointed shadow early years minister, opposing Caroline Dinenage.
Gordon Marsden, MP for Blackpool South, has been appointed as shadow minister for further and higher education, which includes responsibility for careers advice, shadowing Robert Halfon. And Mike Kane, MP for Wythenshawe and Sale East, has been appointed shadow minister for schools, shadowing Nick Gibb.
Extremely pleased to announce new shadow education team @GordonMarsden @MikeKaneMP @EmmaLewellBuck @TulipSiddiq we shall get to work Monday
— Angela Rayner MP (@AngelaRayner) October 9, 2016
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association, said: "We are delighted to welcome the new shadow early years minister, Tulip Siddiq, who has previously worked for Save the Children.
"This role is of particular importance at this crucial time for the sector when the early implementer pilots are testing out 30 hours free childcare for eligible three and four year olds.
"We look forward to working with Ms Siddiq. Our key concerns at the moment are the funding proposals for 30 hours free childcare and the recruitment crisis.
"We will be sharing with her the results of our workforce survey which are due to be published later this month and we will be continuing to campaign for a fair deal for nurseries over the coming year."