Jeremy Corbyn has made a raft of appointments to Labour's front bench as he seeks to unite the party after cementing his position as leader.

The Labour leader has given jobs to 20 MPs, including a number that have been openly critical of his leadership.

Among those to be brought back into the fold are former Shadow Young People Secretary Gloria de Piero, who was the second MP to resign from the Shadow Cabinet last June citing concerns about Mr Corbyn's leadership.

​Roberta Blackman-Woods, the former housing minister, has been given a job in the International Development team. Resigning as a minister last year, Ms Blackman-Woods told Mr Corbyn: "I no longer have confidence in you as a leader who can display the attributes listed above and enable us to win a general election.”

“You could, and should, have shown more decisive and visionary leadership and your failure to step down means that I must,” she added.

Karl Turner, who resigned as Shadow Attorney General last year after telling Mr Corbyn it was "increasingly clear that you do not hold the support of the Shadow Cabinet and the wider Parliamentary Labour Party", has been appointed as shadow transport minister. So, too, has Rachel Maskell, who stepped down as Shadow Environment Secretary in February in order to vote against Labour's position on Brexit.

Mr Corbyn has also handed jobs to a number of MPs elected last month – just days after they were officially sworn in. His staunch ally Chris Williamson, who was re-elected as MP for Derby North, is appointed to the Home Affairs team led by Diane Abbott. He is joined by Nick Thomas Symonds, who resigned as shadow pensions minister last June after saying he had “lost confidence in [Mr Corbyn's] ability to unite the party and take on the Tories”.

Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Show all 9 1 /9 Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Brexit Labour is committed to leaving the European Union but would have different negotiating priorities to the Conservatives. It has said it would have a “strong emphasis” on staying in the single market and the customs union. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and leading figures in Brussels have been unambiguous that membership of the single market is impossible without free movement. PA Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Immigration The party would drop “bogus immigration targets” but move to a managed system of migration favoured by many leave voters. It has said this “may include employer sponsorship, work permits, visa regulations or a tailored mix of all these”. Getty Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained The Economy Labour’s manifesto commits to balance government spending with the amount raised by taxation, which can mean little more than significant tax increases. The greatest burden will fall on higher earners but they cannot meet demand on their own. It has also promised to bring rail companies back in to public ownership and cap fares. The party would also renationalise Royal Mail. It also promises a “transition” to publicly owned energy. Peter Byrne/PA Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Tax No one earning under £80,000 would pay any more in national insurance or income tax. It would raise corporation tax, from the current low of 19p to 26p. This higher rate would still be a competitive internationally, but the government is currently fighting hard to attract business in the wake of Brexit and they say a low corporation tax rate is crucial. Labour would also lower the top, 45p income tax threshold to £80,000. In theory, this could raise £7bn, but only if higher earnings did not decide to move abroad. Reuters Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained NHS Labour has promised more money for GP services, free hospital parking for patients, staff and visitors, and to take a million people off NHS waiting lists by guaranteeing treatment within eighteen weeks. These promises will be expensive to keep, and there is no certainty that the party’ s commitment to raising taxes on higher earners, increasing capital gains tax and reversing cuts to corporation tax will be enough to meet the need. PA Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Education The party has pledged to abolish university tuition fees and reintroduce maintenance grants and give free school meals to all schoolchildren. PA Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Housing Labour’s manifesto commits to building 1m new homes, and would introduce controls on rent rises for private renters. It would also scrap the so-called bedroom tax. Getty Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Environment Labour would ban fracking, but, crucially, also supports new nuclear projects. It would also introduce a new Clean Air Act to deal with illegal air quality Getty Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained Defence Its manifesto says it is committed to the NATO target of 2 per cent spending on defence. It is also committed to the renewal of Trident, even though Jeremy Corbyn has spent a lifetime campaigning against it. AFP/Getty Images

Other new MPs given frontbench jobs include Paul Sweeney, who won the Glasgow North East seat from the SNP and becomes Shadow Scotland Minister. Anneliese Dodds, the newly elected Oxford East MP, joins John McDonnell's shadow Treasury team.

Former Manchester Mayor Tony Lloyd, now the MP for Rochdale, is appointed to the shadow housing team alongside Grimsby MP Melanie Onn, who previously voted that she had no confidence in Mr Corbyn.

Announcing the new appointments, Mr Corbyn said: “I’m delighted to be filling Labour’s shadow front bench with a wealth of talent. Our new shadow ministers will bolster the excellent work of Labour’s shadow cabinet and departmental teams.

“These appointments are further evidence that Labour is not just the opposition – we are the government in waiting.”

The Labour leader has secured his position after defying predictions by increasing the party's vote share and number of seats at the general election.