Kemi Badenoch has begun her Shadow Cabinet reshuffle as the Conservative Party prepares for a potential early General Election.
Stuart Andrew has stepped down as Shadow Health Secretary and will return to the back benches for the first time in nearly a decade.
He marks the third Conservative shadow cabinet member to stand down from their role in recent days.
Dame Priti Patel and Sir James Cleverly left as the first big changes to Kemi Badenoch’s team.
The MP for Daventry wrote on social media: “After nearly 10 years serving on the frontbench, I will now be returning to the backbenches.
“It has been a privilege to serve in numerous roles in Government and in Opposition, and I am grateful for all the support I have received personally from colleagues, my Shadow Health team and my constituency team.
“I would also like to thank all those working across the NHS and social care for their help and cooperation in my most recent role.
“I am proud of the role I played in the months immediately after the General Election in ensuring we hit the ground running in Opposition, and I wish Kemi, my successor and the whole Shadow Cabinet every success for the future.
“I now look forward to continuing to work hard on behalf of all my constituents in the wonderful Daventry constituency.”
Shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho is set to go on maternity leave, and shadow attorney general Helen Grant is also set to leave the front bench as she will be standing down as an MP at the next general election.
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Priti Patel quits Kemi Badenoch’s top team as Tom Tugendhat set to be named shadow foreign secretary
Priti Patel has quit Kemi Badenoch’s shadow cabinet as Tom Tugendhat is set to be named as her successor.
Ms Badenoch has begun a major reshuffle of her top team as the Conservative Party prepares for a potential early General Election.
Dame Priti will take on a new senior party role leading the Conservatives’ international engagement and relations.
Mr Tugendhat, a former soldier and security minister, has been a backbencher in the Tories since he challenged for party leadership in 2024.
One of his main jobs will be amplifying the Conservatives’ message on defence, which sources claim is one of the Tories’ “central organising principles”.
Tonbridge MP confirmed his return to the front bench over the bank holiday weekend while meeting officials in Taiwan about the threat posed by China.
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