Author Archives: The Voice

We knew that there would be a reshuffle of Lib Dem MPs after Conference, but maybe not this quickly.

This afternoon, Ed Davey announced his new top team. Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper takes over as Treasury Spokesperson and will face Rachel Reeves.

Helen Morgan takes health and social care from Daisy and, given the precedence we are giving to this issue, she has a whole team – Danny Chambers on mental health, Alison Bennett on carers, Jess Brown-Fuller on hospitals and primary care.

There are big jobs for new MPs too. Lisa Smart takes Home Affairs and Calum Miller, a former senior civil servant in the Foreign Office, getting Foreign Affairs. We also have a Europe spokesperson again, James MacClearly. Does this mean we will be getting more vocal on the problems with Brexit?

Wendy Chamberlain now has a deputy Chief Whip in Tom Morrison and no longer has any other portfolios. Steve Darling will now cover DWP and Christine Jardine Scotland.

There are no jobs for Layla Moran, Alistair Carmichael and Jamie Stone as they are all going to be chairing Select Committees.

One person I would have thought would have had a job would be Richard Foord. His old defence portfolio goes to Helen Maguire. However, perhaps he will end up on the Defence Select Committee.

Christine Jardine loses the Cabinet Office but gains Scotland in addition to her current Women and Equalities portfolio.

Of the 33 front bench positions, 25 go to new MPs. Of our 15 MPs in the previous Parliament, 3 stay as spokespeople, 3 chair select committees and Richard Foord, Sarah Green, Sarah Dyke and Wera Hobhouse go to the back benches, but there are still Select Committee places to fill so they may be being lined up for them.

Of his new team, Ed said:

My new frontbench will champion the people’s priorities, ensuring we hold the new government to account as a responsible opposition.

I am humbled by the result of the General Election and the millions of voters who put their trust in the Liberal Democrats, including many for the first time. We will stand up for our communities every day on the issues that matter most, fixing health and care services, tackling the cost of living crisis and protecting our precious environment.

I am so proud of my entire team of 72 Liberal Democrat MPs who will serve as strong local champions in Westminster as we clean up the mess left by the Conservative government.

Here is the top team in full: