Angela Rayner unveils new MP appointments to transform Labour

Angela Rayner has unveiled a series of new appointments today with the aim of creating a team that will work to “transform the culture and practices of the Labour Party for the better”.

In her role as Labour’s new deputy leader, Rayner has made a start on plans to implement commitments in the ‘Manifesto for a Movement’ document launched during her campaign.

The MP for Ashton-under-Lyne vowed to build a ‘Labour Community’, like “LinkedIn for Labour”, fundraise to set up Labour Organising Academies and create a new party culture.

She intends to kick-start this project with the help of a new team consisting of the following Labour MPs:

• Marsha de Cordova, who will lead on equality and inclusion within the party in addition to her role as Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary
• Kim Johnson, who will act as parliamentary private secretary to the deputy leader in Rayner’s role as Shadow First Secretary of State
• Nav Mishra, who will act as parliamentary private secretary to the deputy leader in her role as party chair
• Tulip Siddiq, who will work alongside the party chair as parliamentary lead (party development)
• Sam Tarry, who will work alongside the party chair as parliamentary lead (campaigns and organisation)

Announcing the appointments, Rayner said: “Both Keir Starmer and I have made clear our determination to transform the culture and practices of the Labour Party for the better, and these appointments are an early step to do so.

“Even in opposition, we can show we live our values as a party and put ourselves on a footing to win elections in every corner and nation of our country.”

“Our frontbench shows the full range of talent that our party has to offer, and I’m delighted to be working with such a brilliant group of MPs in my role as deputy leader.

“We are already hard at work dealing with the current national crisis, holding the government to account and putting forward a positive vision. My team and I won’t stop working until we have the Labour government our country so desperately needs.”

Rayner’s BAME manifesto promised to “support the reformation and reinvigoration of BAME Labour… setting a clear date for a ‘re-launch’, with renewed and transparent democratic processes supported by central party resources”.

It also backed the idea of a national BAME members conference, pledging to set a date for the opening conference “with clear rules on policy-making powers and internal elections”.

De Cordova is expected to shortly convene projects on BAME and disability issues, including the launch of a new BAME Labour organisation.

Commenting on her appointment, Siddiq told LabourList: “Angela and I became MPs at the same time and we became friends quickly. I’m delighted to be part of her team because we have a huge job on our hands if we want to form the next government.”

The MP for Hampstead and Kilburn added: “I’ve known Sam since our Young Labour days so I’m pleased to be working with him to shape the party’s policy development going forward.”

Siddiq was active in the party’s youth wing and helped to orchestrate Tarry’s takeover of the organisation against the wishes of Progress-aligned Labour activists at the time.

As parliamentary leads for the party chair, London MPs Siddiq and former TSSA officer Tarry will work on Rayner’s behalf on party development, campaigns and organisation.

Siddiq retains her early years role, which she also held when Rayner headed Labour’s education team, while Tarry of the 2019 intake – who chaired Rayner’s deputy leadership campaign – is Ed Miliband’s parliamentary private secretary.

New parliamentary private secretaries Johnson and Mishra were also both elected to parliament for the first time in December 2019, and they are both closely associated with UNISON – like Rayner.