The Labour leader has reshuffled his top team: here’s what you need to know about the changes

Who’s out





Michael Dugher

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Michael Dugher, who said on Twitter that he had been sacked by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as shadow culture secretary. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA

Dugher was the first casualty of the shadow cabinet reshuffle, tweeting just after 10am on Tuesday that he had been sacked as shadow culture secretary.

Dugher was always one of those who appeared most vulnerable, having urged Jeremy Corbyn not to carry out a “revenge reshuffle”.

He had earlier said in a New Statesman interview that speculation about sackings had tended to “drown out our attacks on the Conservative government”. In an interview with PoliticsHome, he criticised Momentum, the grassroots movement that grew out of Corbyn’s leadership campaign as stupid and pointless.

Before being elected as MP for Barnsley East in 2010, he worked at 10 Downing Street as the chief political spokesman for prime minister Gordon Brown and later served as his parliamentary private secretary. His first shadow cabinet role was as shadow transport secretary under Ed Miliband’s leadership.

Dugher was the chair of Andy Burnham’s leadership campaign and is a close ally of Tom Watson, the deputy leader. Watson released a statement in support of Dugher after he was sacked.

Pat McFadden

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Pat McFadden has been sacked as shadow Europe minister. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA

Shadow Europe minister Pat McFadden was sacked from the frontbench for what Labour sources said were displays of “incompetence and disloyalty”.

McFadden is being replaced by Pat Glass, who chairs Labour’s pro-EU group. Shadow Europe minister is not a shadow cabinet role.

McFadden had infuriated the leadership after criticising Corbyn’s response to the Paris terror attacks, by asking David Cameron “to reject the view that sees terrorist acts as always being a response or a reaction to what we in the west do”.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, McFadden said he had originally accepted the post because the EU issue was of “crucial importance” with an in-out referendum looming.

“Tonight Mr Corbyn has told me he does not want me to continue to serve on his front bench, in particular because of questions I asked about terrorism and national security in the Commons statement following the Paris terrorist attacks,” McFadden said.

“It is his prerogative to decide his front bench team and I will continue to support and work for Labour in any way I can.”

He added: “I hope Labour retains its strong and clear position to campaign for the United Kingdom to remain in the EU.”

Who’s in







Emily Thornberry

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Emily Thornberry takes over as shadow defence secretary. Photograph: Richard Saker/The Observer

Corbyn ally Emily Thornberry rejoins the shadow cabinet, replacing the pro-Trident shadow defence secretary Maria Eagle, who now moves to become shadow culture secretary.

Thornberry was appointed because her views on the issue of defence are felt to overlap more with Corbyn’s. It marks her return to the shadow cabinet after she was forced to resign from her role as shadow attorney general by Miliband for tweeting a picture of a white van and St George’s flag, an action that was interpreted as snobbery.

Pat Glass

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Pat Glass joins the frontbench as shadow Europe minister. Photograph: Gary Calton/The Observer

The Labour MP for North West Durham is the new shadow Europe minister on the frontbench. She was joint chair of a group of nearly 70 Labour MPs who last summer launched a pro-Europe campaign group, Labour Yes, in a bid to put forward a distinctive leftwing pro-European voice, and nip in the bud any suggestion that Labour support for a referendum represented a cooling of the party’s support for Europe.

In June 2015 she said: “It’s very important that Labour MPs make the pro-European case. The Tories are hopelessly divided on this issue and there is a danger that the country’s interests get dragged down by their divisions. The centre of gravity in the Labour party is very firmly to stay in the EU.

“Of course, the case for Britain staying in the EU will not be made by politicians alone but this group will be a strong clear voice in parliament and in the country arguing a case for Britain in Europe based on trade, jobs, investment and our place in the world.”

Moves and non-moves

Maria Eagle

Slated for a move from her shadow defence role, given her pro-Trident views, Eagle replaces Dugher as shadow culture, media and sport secretary. In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Labour sources insisted Eagle was keen to move to the shadow culture role from defence and was happy with her shift sideways.

She did not immediately comment on her new position, but her Twitter bio was updated overnight.

Hilary Benn

Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn is to stay on after reportedly coming to an agreement with Corbyn on their future working.

The deal means there will be no repetition of their disagreement about the vote on bombing Syria, during which Corbyn argued against military action and Benn gave a speech in favour. All future positions on foreign policy will be directed by Corbyn, a Labour source said.

Jeremy Corbyn’s new shadow cabinet in full





Tom Watson

Deputy leader of the Labour party

John McDonnell

Shadow chancellor of the exchequer

Angela Eagle

Shadow first secretary of state and shadow secretary of state for business, innovation and skills

Hilary Benn

Shadow foreign secretary

Andy Burnham

Shadow home secretary

Heidi Alexander

Shadow health secretary

Owen Smith

Shadow secretary of state for work and pensions

Lilian Greenwood

Shadow secretary of state for transport

Diane Abbott

Shadow secretary of state for international development

Vernon Coaker

Shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland

Emily Thornberry – NEW

Shadow secretary of state for defence

Maria Eagle – NEW

Shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport

Lucy Powell

Shadow secretary of state for education

Lisa Nandy

Shadow secretary of state for energy and climate change

Ian Murray

Shadow secretary of state for Scotland

Jon Trickett

Shadow secretary of state for communities and local government

Kerry McCarthy

Shadow secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs

Nia Griffith

Shadow secretary of state for Wales

Gloria De Piero

Shadow minister for young people and voter registration

Seema Malhotra

Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury

Kate Green

Shadow minister for women and equalities

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

Shadow lord chancellor, shadow secretary of state for justice

Chris Bryant

Shadow leader of the House of Commons

Angela Smith

Shadow leader of the House of Lords

Lord Bassam of Brighton

Lords chief whip

Rosie Winterton

Opposition chief whip

Catherine McKinnell

Shadow attorney general

Luciana Berger

Shadow minister for mental health

John Healey

Shadow minister for housing and planning

Jonathan Ashworth

Shadow minister without portfolio

Junior ministers

Emma Lewell Buck, MP for South Shields, becomes shadow minister for devolution.

It is understood there are still more shadow junior ministerial announcements to come but the shadow cabinet movements are now concluded, with 17 women and 14 men in top jobs.