Lord Bach appointed new Shadow Attorney General in (another) mini reshuffle

Following Emily Thornberry’s now infamous resignation during the Rochester and Strood By-election, the Labour Party has been without a Shadow Attorney General. A few names had been floated for the position (Shadow Justice Minister Andy Slaughter’s name has been pushed by several MPs) but the role has gone outside of the Commons to the Lords – with Lord Willy Bach named as Thornberry’s replacement.

Bach is known as a strong campaigner and parliamentarian, having helped inflict the most defeats on a government bill in this Parliament (17 on the Legal Aid Bill) and being named Peer of the Year by the House magazine. The Leicester City supporting Bach will also remain in his Shadow Foreign Office Minister role as well as that of Shadow Attorney General.

Update: As well as Bach’s appointment, there has been a(nother) mini reshuffle of Labour’s frontbench today. Chris Bryant moves from the Shadow DWP team to become Shadow Arts Minister in Harriet Harman’s Shadow DCMS team. George Eaton reported earlier today that Bryant had fallen out with Rachel Reeves over a recent immigration article in the Mail. Helen Goodman moves in the opposite direction, becoming the Shadow Minister for Welfare Reform.

And completing the changes, Karl Turner (who had been backed as a potential Shadow Attorney General) becomes Shadow Solicitor General – but will remain a whip in the Justice team.