Priti Patel makes comeback in Kemi Badenoch’s shadow cabinet

Dame Priti Patel has made a comeback as Kemi Badenoch has appointed her shadow foreign secretary, Sky News understands.

Ms Badenoch, who became Conservative leader on Saturday, started officially appointing her shadow cabinet on Sunday evening.

Politics latest: Reaction as Badenoch makes more shadow cabinet appointments

On Monday afternoon, the two biggest jobs were confirmed, with former home secretary Ms Patel being given the shadow foreign secretary role.

Former shadow work and pensions secretary Mel Stride, who ran in the Tory leadership race and is considered more of a moderate than Ms Badenoch, has been made shadow chancellor.

Robert Jenrick, who lost out to Ms Badenoch, is the new shadow justice secretary, sources told Sky News.

Earlier in the day, Laura Trott, who served as chief secretary to the Treasury under Rishi Sunak, was appointed shadow education secretary.

The new Tory leader made her first appointments on Sunday evening ahead of her new top team meeting for the first time on Tuesday.

Now the Conservatives are in opposition, the shadow cabinet’s role is to scrutinise the policies and actions of the government and to offer alternative policies.

Nigel Huddleston and Dominic Johnson, junior ministers under Mr Sunak, were appointed joint chairmen of the Conservative Party.

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The role involves overseeing the party’s headquarters, where staff and committee members have their offices.

Essex MP Dame Rebecca Harris was confirmed as chief whip after the interim chief whip Stuart Andrew said she was replacing him.

She will be responsible for ensuring Tory MPs attend and vote in parliament as the party leadership desires.

Read more:
Who’s who in Kemi Badenoch’s new shadow cabinet
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Badenoch has carefully picked shadow cabinet from across the party

Sam Coates

Deputy political editor

@SamCoatesSky

Picking Mel Stride – seen as centrist compared to Ms Badenoch’s more right-wing tendencies – as shadow chancellor suggests she doesn’t just want fellow travellers from her wing of the party.

It suggests she’s prepared to listen to people who perhaps think a bit differently – and draw on a bigger set of opinions than just her own.

As for Priti Patel as shadow foreign secretary, this is to reassure any sceptical right wingers who preferred Robert Jenrick – the man she beat in the final of the leadership race.

Dame Priti is a big figure on the right who can calm some nerves.

Laura Trott, the shadow education secretary, is a sign the new leader wants to prove she can look to the future.

Having only been an MP since 2019, the former chief secretary to the Treasury remains a relatively fresh face.

Neil O’Brien, one of Mr Jenrick’s campaign managers, is a pick that shows Ms Badenoch can reach out to even people who supported her opponent.

As for Mr Jenrick himself, he’s set for an anxious wait to find out which job he’s got after Ms Badenoch’s team refused to confirm reports he’s got the shadow justice secretary gig.

We should get confirmation in the morning.

Former foreign secretary James Cleverly, who came third in the leadership race, said on Friday he would not be joining Ms Badenoch’s top team.

Ex-prime minister Mr Sunak, his former deputy Sir Oliver Dowden, ex-chancellor Jeremy Hunt and former Brexit, health, and environment secretary Steve Barclay have all said they will be joining him on the backbenches.