Labour leader Keir Starmer is reshuffling his shadow cabinet as MPs return to Westminster after the summer break
Deputy leader Angela Rayner is now also shadow levelling up secretary and shadow deputy prime minister
She takes the levelling up role from Lisa Nandy - who takes on the international development role, a move seen as a demotion
Jim McMahon has stepped down as shadow secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs - Steve Reed takes his role
Starmer ally Shabana Mahmood becomes shadow justice secretary, taking Reed's old role
Pat McFadden becomes the party's national campaign co-ordinator - taking over from Mahmood
And Liz Kendall becomes shadow work and pensions secretary, replacing Jonathan Ashworth, who takes the paymaster general role
Image source, UK ParliamentAnd now we've heard Pat McFadden MP has been appointed shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and national campaign co-ordinator, external.
McFadden has served as Member of Parliament for Wolverhampton South East since 2005, and has been shadow chief secretary to the treasury since 2021.
Alex Forsyth
Political correspondent
Here’s a bit of the insider thinking re Shabana Mahmood’s new gig….
It’s understood she’s been given the justice brief because she’s seen as a key ally to Keir Starmer, and she’s credited with helping transform the Labour party and its campaign machine.
Alex Forsyth
Political correspondent
Blimey - that’s a big change of job for Lisa Nandy who goes from being a shadow secretary of state covering levelling-up and housing to a shadow cabinet minister covering international trade.
And let’s be clear - it’s a demotion.
She’d been in her brief for a while, and she’d spent time working up policies - particularly when it came to housing. She was also seen by some as a good communicator for the party.
However, she’s chosen to take the new job anyway - sticking with Keir Starmer and his new look team.
Image source, UK ParliamentShabana Mahmood has been appointed shadow secretary of state for justice
The Labour Party has just announced, external that Shabana Mahmood MP has been appointed shadow secretary of state for justice. Mahmood has served as the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood since 2010.
Steve Reed MP has also been appointed shadow secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs. He has been Member of Parliament for Croydon North since a 2012 by-election.
Image source, PA MediaAnd we've just heard about the next appointment which is Lisa Nandy's - she'll now be the shadow cabinet minister for international development, external.
She was the shadow levelling up secretary - but was succeeded by Angela Rayner today.
Alex Forsyth
Political correspondent
Image source, ReutersAngela Rayner has been given the official title of shadow deputy prime minister
This was the one everyone was looking out for today - what would happen to Angela Rayner.
She was elected to the post of Labour’s deputy leader and so was always safe in that job, but when Keir Starmer tried to move her other roles around back in 2021, it didn’t go well, and there was talk of a bust-up between the two.
Now she’s been given the official title of shadow deputy prime minister - a senior post - and a hefty domestic policy brief covering levelling-up as well as communities and housing - which is a big one for Labour, as it tries to show it’s the party with the answers to very real issues in the housing sector.
The question now is what happens to Lisa Nandy, who was in that job before and has been laying the ground with a lot of policy work in this area? We will have to wait and see...
A Labour source has said Sir Keir Starmer had given Angela Rayner an "important role" in his team.
"Keir is delighted that Angela has accepted this important role; in addition she will continue to be the strategic lead on Labour's new deal for working people," the Labour source is quoted as saying by the PA news agency.
And we’ve just had our first appointment – Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner has been appointed shadow levelling up secretary and shadow deputy prime minister.
She remains as deputy leader of the party.
After Jim McMahon announced he was stepping down as shadow environment secretary, Sir Keir Starmer, has thanked him on X, external.
"I have no doubt you will continue to play an important role in the future of the Labour Party and the people of Oldham West & Royton are lucky to have you."
Nick Eardley
Political correspondent
In other Westminster-related news, a bullying complaint against former cabinet minister Gavin Williamson has been upheld by an expert panel in Parliament.
Williamson - who quit government last year after allegations first emerged - has been told to apologise to the House of Commons and undergo training.
The complaint was made by former Chief Whip Wendy Morton.
An independent expert panel ruled that Williamson was guilty of offensive and intimidating behaviour.
It ruled he was guilty of an abuse of power for sending messages relating to the allocation of seating at the Queen's funeral.
It raises questions for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who appointed Williamson in his first reshuffle.
Alex Forsyth
Political correspondent
The reshuffle’s under way! Jim McMahon’s no longer the shadow secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs.
It’s not thought that there’s going to be huge changes in the biggest jobs - like shadow chancellor, shadow home secretary or shadow health secretary - but it’s definitely worth watching closely the more junior ministerial ranks where it’s expected some new faces could move on to Labour’s front benches.
This is about Keir Starmer preparing his party for government - if of course he wins the next election, which is expected next year.
A Labour spokesperson has told us the reshuffle is under way.
And the first vacancy on the shadow cabinet has opened up - with Jim McMahon stepping down as shadow environment secretary.
In a letter to Sir Keir posted on X, external, formerly Twitter, he said he wanted to step back for the benefit of his health and his family, after coming back from a serious illness.
Earlier this year, he spoke about receiving hospital care for two weeks after an infection.
Image source, PA MediaMcMahon being welcomed to Parliament in December 2015
The Labour reshuffle comes days after PM Rishi Sunak conducted a light-touch reorganisation of his own inner circle.
This included the promotion of Grant Shapps to the role of defence secretary, replacing Ben Wallace.
Wallace had announced plans to step down from the role - which he held for four years - and not stand as an MP at the next general election.
The prime minister’s close ally Claire Coutinho was chosen to succeed Shapps as energy and net zero secretary.
Read more on Sunaks' reshuffle here.
Here's a quick reminder of the current shadow cabinet line-up. A full list of posts can be found here, external.
Keir Starmer: Leader of the Opposition
Angela Rayner: Deputy leader, shadow first secretary of state and shadow chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster
Rachel Reeves: Shadow chancellor
Wes Streeting: Shadow health secretary
Yvette Cooper: Shadow home secretary
David Lammy: Shadow foreign secretary
Bridget Phillipson: Shadow education secretary
John Healey: Shadow defence secretary
Lisa Nandy: Shadow levelling up secretary
Anneliese Dodds: Party chair and shadow women and equalities secretary
Nick Eardley
Political correspondent
While we wait to hear from Labour about its reshuffle, we've learned that the by-election in Nadine Dorries's old seat will be held in mid-October.
The BBC understands the government will move the writ, external today - starting the formal process.
The vote could be held on 12 October or 19 October.
The SNP will also move a writ for the Rutherglen vote today.
The BBC understands it will be held 5 October.
Image source, PA MediaIt's a big day for Sir Keir Starmer. As well as his reshuffle, today marks another highly anticipated event - Sue Gray’s first day as his chief of staff.
Gray is the former top civil servant who rose to prominence as the government's Partygate investigator.
The Cabinet Office accused her of breaking certain rules by accepting the job from Starmer, because civil servants are expected to be politically impartial.
But Gray was cleared to work for Labour by Parliament's appointments adviser earlier this summer.
Ione Wells
Political correspondent
Image source, UK ParliamentAngela Rayner will keep her position as deputy leader
There is much speculation over what role Sir Keir may give to his deputy - Angela Rayner.
She was directly elected to be deputy leader by party members. That means she'll keep that position no matter what.
But she also currently shadows the Cabinet Office brief - held by the deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden for the Conservatives.
She's focused heavily in recent years on scrutinising ethical issues in politics, from so-called "sleaze" to accusing her opposite numbers of "wasting taxpayers' money".
Some Labour sources expect she may be put in charge of running a specific, domestic policy area instead.
Among the names tipped for promotion is the chair of Parliament's business committee, Darren Jones.
He is widely regarded as an effective communicator, earning positive headlines for his grilling of companies such as Thames Water, Royal Mail and P&O at various committee hearings.
What position he might fill is not clear - possibly environment, if Jim McMahon is demoted.
There is also a vacancy to shadow the government's new Science, Innovation and Technology secretary.
Jones has been vocal, external about Artificial Intelligence (AI) too, saying that technology can be a “force for good” if adopted in the right way.
Lucy Powell currently covers the digital, culture and media brief for Labour, so could also be a potential candidate should this role be filled.
Keir Starmer’s deputy, Angela Rayner, is also in line for a new role. But more on that in a bit.
Image source, EPAHello, you join us as we wait for Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to announce a reshuffle of his cabinet.
The move is expected on the same day that MPs return to Parliament after the summer recess.
It is not thought Starmer will swap his most senior colleagues - including the shadow secretaries of state Rachel Reeves, Wes Streeting and Yvette Cooper.
But there is speculation over what role he may give to his deputy - Angela Rayner.
Stick with us as we bring you the latest news, reaction and analysis.