Kemi Badenoch appoints first member of her shadow cabinet

by · Mail Online

Newly-elected Tory party leader Kemi Badenoch has appointed the first member of her new shadow cabinet. 

Rebecca Harris, the MP for Castle Point in Essex, had been given the title of chief whip, the BBC reported. 

Harris, first elected in 2010, will be charged with maintaining discipline and ensuring her party's MPs vote in line with the shadow cabinet's wishes. 

Harris, who was made a Dame in the 2024 Birthday Honours list, was re-elected this year with a decreased vote share of 38.1%, nearly half of the 76.7% she received in 2019. 

She most recently worked as the Comptroller for the Royal Household, which saw her walk in front of Queen Elizabeth's coffin at her 2022 funeral. 

Harris has also sat on the Commons' Business, Innovation and Skills committee, as well as the Regulatory Reform committee during her 14-year span in Parliament. 

Newly-elected Tory party leader Kemi Badenoch (pictured) has appointed the first member of her new shadow cabinet
Harris most recently worked as the Comptroller for the Royal Household, which saw her walk in front of Queen Elizabeth's coffin at her 2022 funeral

The Essex MP has also worked as an assistant whip for the Treasury, where she was also given the title Lord Commissioner.  

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Her predecessor, Daventry MP Stuart Andrew, said on X: 'It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as the Conservative Party Chief Whip.

'Rebecca Harris is a great friend and a brilliant Whip. I wish her all the best in the role. 

'I would like to thank the Whips and the MP’s that have helped the Whip’s Office for their dedication and assistance in helping me steady the ship over the past three months.

'At an uncertain time for our Party it has been challenging at times, but we have kept the show on the road and had some great successes.

'I would also like to pay thanks to the Shadow Cabinet for taking on their roles and to the whole Parliamentary Party for their help in holding this Labour Government to account.

Leader of the Conservative Party Kemi Badenoch arrives at CCHQ after being elected as Party Leader
Badenoch won the Tory leadership contest on Saturday 
Harris has also sat on the Commons' Business, Innovation and Skills committee, as well as the Regulatory Reform committee during her 14-year span in Parliament

'I am pleased that we have started to hold this dreadful Labour government to account, the Conservatives have led the way in opposing the scrapping of the winter fuel payments, highlighting their tax and spend budget and their contempt for working people.

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'I’m pleased that we can now continue to do that.'

The news of Harris' ascendancy comes ahead of the formal announcement of who will be joining Badenoch's cabinet on Tuesday. 

Badenoch was elected to lead the Tories on Saturday, following a bitter months-long fight after the party suffered its worst electoral defeat in its history. 

She won 53,806 votes to Robert Jenrick on 41,388, with the turnout at the hustings being just 72.8% - down from the 2022 contest that saw 82.2% of Tory party members vote. 

Other major Tory party members she beat included James Cleverly, Tom Tugendhat, Mel Stride, Priti Patel and Suella Braverman.  

Though she has not officially announced any names for her cabinet, she previously said she would offer all her leadership rivals cabinet positions.  

More to follow.