Kemi Badenoch has appointed a shadow cabinet that aims to unite the Conservative Party and provide effective opposition to the Labour government. The new Tory leader has drawn on talents from across the party, with a mix of experienced figures and fresh faces.
Significant appointments include Mel Stride as shadow chancellor, Dame Priti Patel as shadow foreign secretary, and Chris Philp as shadow home secretary. Other key roles go to James Cartlidge as shadow defence secretary, Ed Argar as shadow health secretary, and Andrew Griffith as shadow business and trade secretary.
In a statement, Badenoch said: “I am delighted to have appointed my shadow cabinet, which draws on the talents of people from across the Conservative Party, based on meritocracy and with a breadth of experience and perspective, just as I promised during the campaign.”
The new leader stressed the need for a “team effort” to solve the party’s problems and win back public trust. “We will now get to work holding Labour to account and rebuilding our party based on Conservative principles and values. The process of renewing our great party has now begun,” she said.
Badenoch’s shadow cabinet appointments represent a generational shift, with some veteran Tories like Jeremy Hunt and Suella Braverman missing out on frontbench roles. However, the new team aims to blend experience and fresh perspectives as the Conservatives seek to rebound from their election defeat.
