“I’m not planning a reshuffle… at the moment” were Kemi Badenoch’s words just a few months ago.
She was right. She wasn’t planning one at the moment, she was planning one just before Conference season kicked off, having once said she wouldn’t have one before an election. Maybe if Tory high command are as reported worried Prime Minister Andy Burnham might go to the country earlier than expected, maybe this deeper and wider reshuffle that’s clearly underway is linked to that.
We’re told that James Cleverly confirming on Thursday to Kemi Badenoch that he was resigning from the Shadow Cabinet to run for London Mayor opened up wider options than the three that were already inevitable: Julia Lopez shadowing a department that no longer exists, Helen Grant requesting an exit from her role as shadow Solicitor General, and Claire Coutinho going on maternity leave. It must now be likely her original stand in for her first maternity leave from the shadow Energy brief, Andrew Bowie could become her permanent replacement, as she is off to another job.
Badenoch has certainly expanded her scope and as per rumours about his future, the biggest shake up is Mel Stride‘s dismissal as Shadow Chancellor – to be replaced with the former Shadow Business and Trade Secretary Andrew Griffith.
A senior Conservative source said: “Kemi is changing the way the Conservative Party approaches economic policy and creating a new economic leadership team for the next phase, focused on growth, higher living standards and fiscal credibility. The team will be led by Andrew Griffith, a no-nonsense, pro-growth Shadow Chancellor with real business experience. Claire Coutinho will be Andrew’s deputy across the economic brief, as well as Shadow Business Secretary, and will make sure growth translates into higher living standards. Richard Fuller will be focused on fiscal discipline and the savings work which underpins the economic programme. The new Conservative Economic Unit will be the driving force of the Shadow Cabinet’s business and economic policies”
Stride for his part has been notably gracious in departure,
“It has been an honour to have served as Shadow Chancellor for almost two years, alongside an exceptionally strong team and a great leader in Kemi.”
He cites the fact that the Tories are now once again more trusted on the economy and the stamp duty policy Badenoch dropped on Conference last year as the big finish to her speech, that started the process of her personal ratings rising again.
He concludes:
“I am now looking forward to continuing to make a real contribution to the Conservative team in parliament and beyond, to build and amplify our vision for Britain, from the backbenches.”
Badenoch in turn is generous in her appraisal of Strides’ time as Shadow Chancellor:
“Like Priti, Mel came into the job at an exceptionally difficult point for the Conservative Party. He brought experience, seriousness and stability when those things were badly needed. He helped us steady the ship, rebuild economic credibility and become an effective opposition, and I am genuinely grateful for his contribution. The Conservative Party would not have got where we are without his work and his very effective skewering of Rachel Reeves and her disastrous time as Chancellor. Mel has been very supportive of the new economic team and the Party, and been exceptionally loyal, and I will always be grateful to him for the work he has done.”
However the eagle eyed will note that Mel Stride returns to ‘the backbenches’ not to a different brief and the Times news alerts are already branding it as a ‘sacking’. With Stride having brought on three new staffers in recent weeks, and just a few weeks more before Conference, the timing of his dismissal has been seen as unexpected by some – but far to say widely bet on by others.
The equally eagle eyed will note Claire Coutinho who some had been talking up as Strides replacement will actually be the replacement’s deputy and shadow Business Secretary. She will still, of course go on her second maternity leave and Julia Lopez will cover for her when she goes on maternity leave.
On his appointment as Stride’s replacement Andrew Griffith said:
“It is a huge honour to become Shadow Chancellor for the party I joined as a teenager under Margaret Thatcher. Working as a team, we Conservatives will deliver an economic revolution. We will deliver lower, simpler taxes, get Britain drilling again to bring down energy costs, slash the red tape holding Britain back, and scrap the job-killing measures in Labour’s (Un) Employment Rights Act. A strong country needs a strong economy. The Conservatives will always back the risk-takers and wealth creators who deliver growth, investment and jobs.”
Priti Patel we know was leaving the shadow Cabinet as she posted a statement about a new Conservative International role. It was posted just after a Telegraph story suggested Tom Tugendhat was to be the new shadow Foreign Secretary, a job he has now been given.
Stuart Andrew is leaving his role at shadow Health, and despite his opposite number Yvette Cooper declaring light-heartedly in a podcast that he was her favourite Conservative if she had to choose, they will no longer be facing each other across the floor of the Commons
At 18.43 The Leader of the Opposition issued the following, signalling the completion of Kemi Badenoch’s reshuffle: