LIVE: Nigel Farage to unveil ‘shadow cupboard’ roles with high jobs for failed Tories
Nigel Farage is expected to unveil his “shadow cabinet”, with top jobs for failed Tories.
In a press conference at 11am, the Reform leader is set to outline a series of appointments for Reform MPs, as well as for senior Reform figures outside Parliament.
Conservative defector Robert Jenrick, who served in Liz Truss’s economy crashing Government, is expected to be made shadow chancellor, which could put him in charge of delivering billions of cuts if elected. The roles are believed to include shadow chancellor, shadow home secretary, and a new role that doesn’t currently exist.
Reform’s so-called shadow cabinet will not hold any official weight in Parliament. The Conservative Party, which holds the second most number of seats in the Commons after Labour, is the official Opposition Party, with an official shadow cabinet.
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Robert Jenrick expected to get shadow chancellor
Conservative defector Robert Jenrick, who served in Liz Truss’s economy crashing Government, is expected to be made shadow chancellor, which could put him in charge of delivering billions of cuts if elected.
Farage wants people outside Parliament to get roles
Mr Farage is expected to give roles to senior Reform figures outside of Parliament, as well as Reform MPs.
Nadhim Zahawi, a former Tory Chancellor who defected in January, is rumoured to be appointed the foreign policy brief, while Zia Yusuf, Reform’s policy chief, is expected to get a role as Treasury spokesman. Neither of them are MPs.
The Reform UK leader has previously said the idea that ministers “must all be politicians in the House of Commons” as “nonsense”. Ministers can also be appointed if they are a member of the House of Lords.
Keir Starmer has appointed several people peerages so they can serve as ministers, including Lord Timpson, a long time prison reform campaigner who is now the Prisons Minister.
Reform set to unveil ‘shadow cabinet’
Nigel Farage will today announce roles for Reform MPs in a so-called ‘shadow cabinet’, including roles for failed Tories.
The Reform UK leader yesterday said he was “relieved” other senior figures would be responsible for areas of policy as he suggested it would mean he wouldn’t get so many phone calls about certain issues.
“I think the moment to properly move away from the potential criticism that we’re a one-man band has been there now for a few weeks, and that’s why I’m doing [these appointments],” he said at a rally in Romford.
“Am I concerned? No, I’m relieved actually. I’m relieved that other people are taking up these big areas, and from [a journalist’s] perspective, on a given issue, you will know who to call.”
Reform’s shadow cabinet will not hold any official weight in Parliament. The Conservative Party, which holds the second most number of seats in the Commons after Labour, is the official Opposition Party, with an official shadow cabinet.
