Pat McFadden has been appointed as the new work and pensions secretary in the cabinet reshuffle that followed the resignation of Angela Rayner.
McFadden replaces Liz Kendall, who had held the position since last year’s general election. Kendall is now the science, innovation and technology secretary.
The MP for Wolverhampton South East was the national campaign manager for Labour’s 2024 general election campaign. As well as his new work and pensions brief, he is also the minister for intergovernmental relations, responsible for communications with devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Since the election, McFadden has held the position of Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, a position that put him in effective charge of the Cabinet Office.
McFadden has been in parliament for 20 years, and has held shadow economic and Treasury roles under Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership of the Labour Party. He was minister for business, innovation and skills in Gordon Brown’s cabinet in 2009 and 2010.
There has been no official change to pension minister Torsten Bell’s role, which has a dual reporting line to the Department for Work and Pensions and the Treasury. This is despite reports that he has been given an influential role in the Treasury in the build-up to the Budget speech.
The reshuffle was triggered by the resignation of Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister and minister for housing, communities and local government.
David Lammy has taken over as deputy prime minister, while Steve Reed has taken over the latter brief.
Elsewhere, Peter Kyle is the new business and trade secretary, replacing Jonathan Reynolds, who has moved to the position of chief whip.
Former pensions secretary Emma Reynolds, who left the post in January to become economic secretary, is now secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, replacing Reed.
