Jonathan Reynolds: Labour not ‘harking back to any era’ as Alexander and Smith return and Blair speaks out

The Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has said Labour is not “harking back to any era”, after former Prime Minister Tony Blair issued his advice to the incoming government and two New Labour-era ministers returned to frontline politics.

It comes after Blair called on Saturday for “a plan” for immigration control, tougher action on crime and for the new government to avoid “any vulnerability on wokeism”.

In a lengthy opinion piece for The Times, the former Prime Minister also called for the new Labour government to embrace AI, and digital ID cards to help handle immigration.

Meanwhile last night the re-elected MP Douglas Alexander and Jacqui Smith, former New Labour ministers, were appointed to frontbench roles, with Alexander working on business and trade and Smith, who will be handed a peerage, will work on education.

READ MORE: Tony Blair calls for Keir Starmer to be tough on immigration, crime and ‘wokeism’

Asked by broadcaster Trevor Phillips on Sky News if Blair’s intervention was “unhelpful”, Reynolds said: “I don’t think anything is unhelpful. Of course, when you are an incoming government, you’re always looking to people who have, frankly, done a job in the past in government.

“Their expertise, their experience, will be invaluable. It’s not about harking back to any era.”

He said politicians like Smith and former Health Secretary Alan Milburn, who has been advising Labour and is reported to be in line for some kind of official role,  would be able to offer “advice” and “know how the system works” .

Reynolds: We need to bring down immigration

On immigration, Reynolds said it “has to come down again”, adding that it had been at historically high levels “at a time when public services were under strain”.

He said Labour had backed a points-based system and had already made choices that were “not easy decisions” such as on dependents, and we’ll “continue to do that”, whilst always “welcoming people who do make a contribution”.

Reynolds said the policies Labour had put forward already are “what the country needs”, and we need a much closer relationship between immigration and the skills system, with a sense of the country “relying too much on immigration”.

“Why for instance have there been jobs on the shortage occupation list now for 15 years?”

Read more of our 2024 general election results coverage (article continues below):

Election night as it happened: Key results unpacked in historic landslide

Labour results tracker: Full list and map of Labour gains, holds, losses, new MPs

‘We did it’: Keir Starmer’s victory speech as Labour crosses key 326 seat line

‘A landslide masks discontent left, right and centre. Labour has its work cut out’

‘What should we look for in Keir Starmer’s cabinet?’

‘Keir Starmer is at the peak of his power. How should he make the most of it?’

next four pars

Read more on how the night unfolded:

Liz Truss loses South West Norfolk: Beaten by a lettuce, beaten by Labour

Scotland results: Labour makes big gains as SNP obliterated

Wales results: Labour bags 27 of 32 seats as Tories wiped off the map

Red Wall: Gains in Stoke, Grimsby, Redcar, Workington, Hartlepool, Barrow, Bishop Auckland, Darlington, Bolsover

Jacob Rees-Mogg: Senior Tory loses seat as Labour mayor Dan Norris wins

Gaza: Jon Ashworth loses in Leicester as independents win Blackburn and Batley

Islington North: Jeremy Corbyn holds on in strong result over Labour

Nuneaton, Stevenage, Swindon, Worcester: Labour wins in key bellwether marginals

Read more on what could come next for Labour in power:

100 days: What happens during the first 100 days of a Labour government?

Delivering pledges: ‘Change is hard – how can Labour achieve it?’

Manifesto: ‘12 great policies you may never have heard of’

Foreign affairs: ‘Whatever happens to Biden, Starmer faces a US challenge’

Trilemma: IFS warns Starmer will likely have to pick cuts, debt or tax hikes

Read more on how Labour fought this campaign in key battlegrounds:

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