Labour reshuffle: Rebecca Long-Bailey appointed as shadow education secretary
Fiona Simpson
Monday, April 6, 2020
Rebecca Long-Bailey has been named as shadow education secretary in Keir Starmer’s Labour Party reshuffle.
Long-Bailey will replace Angela Rayner who held the post for four years before being elected as the party’s deputy leader on Saturday.
Rayner was among the first to congratulate Long-Bailey, tweeting: “Delighted to be handing over the shadow education brief to Rebecca Long-Bailey who is a brilliant friend and colleague - Labour's National Education Service is in safe hands.”
Delighted to be handing over the shadow education brief to @RLong_Bailey who is a brilliant friend and colleague - Labour's National Education Service is in safe hands.😃👍🏻
— Angela Rayner MP 🌈 (@AngelaRayner) April 6, 2020
Long-Bailey, MP for Salford and Eccles, said she was “delighted” to have been appointed to the role, adding: “In this time of crisis I will do my utmost to ensure that our teaching staff, students and their families receive the support they deserve.
-
Analysis: Deprivation is key factor affecting spending on children's services
-
Analysis: The factors driving variation in children's services spending
“Never has there been a more important time to fight for a properly funded, accountable, public education service, free at the point of use, from cradle to grave so that all our aspirations can be realised. Social mobility is meaningless if we don’t all rise together.”
Tulip Siddiq continues are role as minister for children and early years.
Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union congratulated Long-Bailey on her appointment.
1.Delighted to be appointed as Shadow Education Secretary by @Keir_Starmer & thanks to the brilliant @AngelaRayner for her work in this role. In this time of crisis I will do my utmost to ensure that our teaching staff, students and their families receive the support they deserve https://t.co/esQ9Z88c1K
— Rebecca Long-Bailey (@RLong_Bailey) April 6, 2020
He said: “At this time of national crisis it will be important for the official opposition to work with the government and to hold ministers to account to ensure that education professionals and children and young people are protected in these immensely difficult times.
“We look forward to working with the shadow education secretary and politicians from across the political spectrum on fashioning the type of education service that will be fit for the 21st century and after Covid-19. We can't go back to an 'exam factories' view of education, with schools and colleges reeling from cut after cut, teachers, leaders and support staff feeling undervalued and the life chances of over 4 million children blighted by their being trapped in poverty".
Congratulations @RLong_Bailey on your appointment as Shadow Secretary of State for Education - the best brief in the shadow cabinet. The @NEUnion looks forward to working with you.
— Dr Mary Bousted (@MaryBoustedNEU) April 6, 2020
Starmer, who replaced Jeremy Corbyn as Leader of the Opposition on Saturday, announced Cat Smith would stay in post as shadow minister for young people and voter engagement.
MP for Cardiff Central Jo Stevens has been named shadow secretary for digital, culture, media and sport.
Honoured to be appointed Shadow Local Gov Secretary at a time when councillors and council workers are responding so heroically to coronavirus – our councils are the best of Labour, so proud to work with you all again
— Steve Reed (@SteveReedMP) April 6, 2020
Steve Reed, MP for Croydon North, takes on the role of shadow communities and local government secretary.
The former Lambeth Council leader, who was previously shadow minister for children and families, wrote on Twitter: “Honoured to be appointed shadow local government secretary at a time when councillors and council workers are responding so heroically to coronavirus – our councils are the best of Labour, so proud to work with you all again.”
Meanwhile, Jess Phillips, MP for Birmingham Yardley, who also ran for leader of the party, has been named as minister for domestic violence and safeguarding.
MP for Hove Peter Kyle has been named as minster for victims and youth justice under Tottenham MP David Lammy's remit as shadow justice secretary.
MP for Tooting, in south London, Rosena Allin-Khan has been announced as shadow mental health secretary and Liz Kendall, MP for Leicester West is now minister for social care.