Aberdeen-born MP Anneliese Dodds was stripped of her title as shadow chancellor tonight, with Rachel Reeves stepping in to fill the top job with immediate effect.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has reshuffled his shadow cabinet after the party’s disappointing election performance.
Ms Dodds, who landed one of the most senior political roles in the UK in April last year, has been demoted to become party chairwoman – the job Angela Rayner had filled until recently – and chair of Labour’s policy review.
The former Dunnottar Primary School and Robert Gordon’s College pupil was an MEP for South East England for four years before taking her seat on the opposition benches.
Announcing his shadow cabinet reshuffle, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “The Labour Party must be the party that embraces the demand for change across our country.
“That will require bold ideas and a relentless focus on the priorities of the British people.
“Just as the pandemic has changed what is possible and what is necessary, so Labour must change too.
“In the last 24 hours we have seen fantastic results for Labour metro mayors, as well as the Labour government in Wales under Mark Drakeford.
“They have shown the difference Labour can make in power, standing up for their communities.”
As part of Sir Keir’s reshuffle of his “refreshed and renewed” top team, former economist Ms Reeves has now added shadow chancellor to the long list of shadow roles she has held during her decade in Parliament.
First elected to represent Leeds West in 2010, within six months she was the shadow minister for pensions.
After subsequent roles at shadowing in the Treasury and Department for Work and Pensions, Ms Reeves assumed the role of shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster – opposite Michael Gove – when Sir Keir became party leader.
Her former post will now be taken over by deputy leader Angela Rayner, who was fired as party chairman and elections co-ordinator on Saturday following Labour’s shock Hartlepool by-election defeat.