Politics latest: Sunak names shadow cabinet - as Labour MPs assemble for huge photo (2024)

Sam Coates, our deputy political editor, has given his thoughts on the Tory shadow cabinet reshuffle which just took place.

He says it appears to come from a place of "low energy" from Rishi Sunak, who has confirmed he will shortly resign as leader.

Sam adds: "I certainly think the Tories are going to spend some time struggling to adjust to a new political tempo.

"That's what this reshuffle Rishi Sunak has just done this evening says.

"Looking at some of the heavyweights backing out like Lord Cameron, you do wonder just how much some of them are up for the fight."

But the appointment of Kemi Badenoch is one to watch.

She is now shadowing deputy prime minister Angela Rayner on the levelling-up brief - moving from business.

"That looks like a promotion - it puts her up against one of the biggest figures in the government," Sam says.

"It's the reshuffle that Rishi Sunak has essentially had to do because he has so few cards to play," he adds, as the former PM only has 121 MPs to choose from.

Peter Kyle, the science and technology secretary, is then asked if Labour has started a war on the NIMBY - which stands for "not in my backyard".

Chancellor Rachel Reeves today promised to get Britain building, with more houses and wind farms on Labour's agenda - and asking councils to review greenbelt land.

Mr Kyle says this is simply central government "using its power assertively, but respectfully, to get things moving".

"We made pledges in the election campaign and already today you're seeing them being honoured," he says.

He adds Labour wants to ensure the UK is breaking down "barriers to investment, not putting them up" as he says the previous government did.

Government an 'assertive partner' for local authorities

He disputes the suggestion central and local government "are in conflict".

"What we want to do is make sure that these are partnerships," he adds.

"There are some local authorities who want to build things but have been prevented from doing so - including onshore windfarms."

Mr Kyle says Labour will lift this block, saying the government will be an "assertive partner" helping to "get things done".

He is then asked specifically if the government would overrule local interests.

"There are powers that central government has that other parts of government don't have - and we will use those powers when it is in the national interest."

Peter Kyle, the new science and technology secretary, is now joining Sophy Ridge on the Politics Hub.

She asks if the election win - and his appointment - have sunk in yet.

Mr Kyle says it "has sunk in" in the sense "we're so deep already" - working through the weekend on a "programme for government" and "making sure we can get the right things cracking from day one".

On the other hand, he admits he "wakes up every morning thinking the previous day was a dream".

'Loving every second'

"It was just so special and so remarkable," Mr Kyle adds.

"The privilege we've been given, and I've been given, by the public and by the prime minister, is something that I take incredibly seriously.

"I am loving every second."

Rishi Sunak has announced his Conservative shadow cabinet - the first the party's had for more than 14 years.

Most of the former cabinet shadow their old roles - like James Cleverly being shadow home secretary, and Jeremy Hunt as shadow chancellor.

But there's no Lord Cameron - instead Andrew Mitchell has been appointed shadow foreign secretary.

He had been the deputy foreign secretary in the last parliament.

Richard Holden is also out as the party chairman.

And Kemi Badenoch has been moved from the business brief, instead shadowing Angela Rayner on housing and levelling up.

But it isn't clear how long these appointments will be in place, as Rishi Sunak confirmed last Friday that he will shortly resign.

The process for appointing a new Tory leader will be decided by the executive of the 1922 Committee, assisted by CCHQ.

A new chair will be elected as soon as this week, our chief political correspondent Jon Craig says.

Our economics and data editor Ed Conway is giving Sophy his view on the chancellor's speech - and one word comes to mind: boring.

He says: "It one sense it was desperately boring because the topic it covers, planning, is boring and perhaps it was intentionally boring.

"I was thinking back to 1997 when Gordon Brown, straight after the election, in that same room, announced that the Bank of England was going to be made independent.

"That was his 'big bang' moment."

However, Ed says that, this time around there is no space for this.

"This time around, I think there's an acknowledgement that it's not like you can do 'big bang' things - you need to do this kind of hard work, of execution and making things happen," he says.

"And planning is the ultimate example of that, you don't just press a button and sort it out."

Watch Ed's full analysis below:

Well, they're not hanging about, are they?

A full cabinet, a flurry of policy announcements, a speech from the chancellor and a tour of all four nations by the prime minister.

No time to sit in a dark room, pour a stiff drink and recover after the general election campaign.

And to be honest, you can see why.The incoming Labour government has built almost their entire economic strategy around one thing: growth.

If you ask them how they can possibly improve public services without putting up taxes or breaking their fiscal rules, this is the answer they give.

No growth? Big problem

The problem is it's quite hard to get growth. You can't just click your fingers and it comes.

And it's unpredictable - you can do all the right things, but a big international event, or a national crisis, changes everything.

So you can see why Labour aren't hanging around. Today, Rachel Reeves is pulling out all the stops to try to get growth back into the economy.

She's bringing back housebuilding targets, overhauling the planning system, and ending the ban on onshore wind farms.

And Labour need it to work. Without growth, they've got a big hole in their economic plans.

Our weeknight politics showPolitics Hub With Sophy Ridgeis live now on Sky News.

The fast-paced programme dissects the inner workings of Westminster, with interviews, insights, and analysis - bringing you, the audience, into the corridors of power.

Sophy is joined tonight by Peter Kyle, the new science and technology secretary.

On Sophy's panel tonight are:

• Jim Murphy, former Scottish Labour leader;
• Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Conservative peer and former minister.
  

Watch live on Sky News, in the stream at the top of this page, and follow live updates here in the Politics Hub.

WatchPolitics Hub With Sophy Ridgefrom Monday to Thursday on Sky channel 501, Virgin channel 602, Freeview channel 233, on theSky News websiteandappor onYouTube.

Rachel Reeves, who became the UK's first female chancellor when she was appointed to the job on Friday, has hailed smashing "one of the last glass ceilings in politics".

Ms Reeves was shadow chancellor when Labour were in opposition, and was quickly handed the keys to Number 11 by Sir Keir Starmer.

The role "has existed for hundreds of years", Ms Reeves said, but until now had never been held by a woman.

While she's "really proud" to be the first, she said she feels a "big responsibility" to pass on to the next generation a society and economy "that works better for women".

"I'm determined to work with my team to do just that," she added.

By Faye Brown, political reporter

Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to "hit the ground running" with a focus on delivery from day one after returning his party to government for the first time in 14 years.

Already he hasassembled his cabinet, scrapped the Rwanda scheme, announced mission delivery boards and embarked ona whistle-stop tour of the devolved nations.

That's all before parliament has even reconvened, with MPs due to be sworn in from Tuesday to officially kick off the first 100 days of a Labour government.

Below, Sky News takes a look at what we can expect to happen over the next few months:

Business presenter Ian King is answering your questions on what a Labour government means for your personal finances in our Money blog.

There's still time to submit a question - you can do so and follow along using the link below: