Kemi Badenoch has overhauled the Conservative Party’s shadow cabinet with several major appointments.
The Conservative leader launched the reshuffle after James Cleverly left the frontbench. Cleverly stepped down to campaign for mayor of London.
The reshuffle also removed several senior figures from key positions. Former shadow chancellor Mel Stride and former shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel both lost their roles.
Patel previously served as home secretary and later became shadow foreign secretary. Badenoch has now replaced her with Tom Tugendhat.
Tugendhat previously chaired the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee from 2017 to 2022. He also contested the Conservative leadership election in 2024.
Andrew Griffith has replaced Stride as shadow chancellor. Griffith previously served as shadow business and trade secretary and held several Treasury roles under earlier Conservative governments.
Griffith also supported Badenoch during the 2024 Conservative leadership contest.
Chris Philp will remain shadow home secretary. Meanwhile, Harriet Cross has joined the shadow cabinet as shadow secretary of state for Scotland.
Katie Lam has secured another major promotion. The Conservative MP will become shadow housing secretary and replace Cleverly.
Lam joined Parliament in 2024 and has gained support from the Conservative right.
Several senior Conservatives have also left the shadow cabinet. Stuart Andrew and Nigel Huddleston will return to the backbenches.
Badenoch reportedly thanked Andrew, Huddleston, Cleverly, Patel and Stride for helping the party rebuild after its difficult 2024 general election result.
New Conservative Shadow Cabinet Members:
- Kemi Badenoch – Conservative Party leader
- Andrew Griffith – Shadow chancellor
- Tom Tugendhat – Shadow foreign secretary
- Katie Lam – Shadow housing secretary
- Harriet Cross – Shadow Scotland secretary
- Andrew Bowie – Shadow energy secretary
- Rebecca Paul – Shadow culture secretary
Other senior appointments include Alex Burghart, Richard Fuller, James Cartlidge, Neil O’Brien, Kevin Hollinrake, Helen Whately and Laura Trott.
Damian Hinds will serve as shadow health secretary, while Victoria Atkins will take the environment brief.
Richard Holden will lead the transport brief. Nick Timothy will become shadow justice secretary.
The reshuffle gives Badenoch an opportunity to reshape her team ahead of the next general election. She now faces pressure to strengthen the Conservatives’ position and challenge Labour more effectively.
The new team also gives several newer MPs opportunities to take on prominent national roles.
