A number of Yorkshire MPs have joined the shadow cabinet, including Leeds West’s Rachel Reeves, now Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh as interim Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary

Wentworth and Dearne MP John Healey who was previously Shadow Housing Secretary, has been made Shadow Defence Secretary.

But Mr Miliband’s return was one of the biggest surprises of the shake up, as he returns to Labour’s front bench as Shadow Business, Energy and Industrial Secretary.

He said: “We must all focus on playing our part in the country’s response to coronavirus, working with Government to help the many businesses and workers who have been so badly hit and need their voice heard.

“As Keir has said, we cannot go back to business as usual after this crisis. We will need to reshape our economy, addressing the insecurity many millions of workers face.

“We must also return to climate change as the unavoidable long-term issue of our time, including with a recovery based on providing environmental justice through a Green New Deal.”

Doncaster North MP Mr Miliband led a more moderate party than his immediate successor Mr Corbyn, who guided Labour to its worst general election defeat since 1935.

His return comes after he found fresh popularity hosting a podcast in the wake of his 2015 general election defeat.

However, some Yorkshire MPs lost their roles.

Batley and Spen’s Tracy Brabin was asked to step aside as Shadow Culture Secretary and Leeds East’s Richard Burgon was also stood down.

Ms Brabin, who had backed Sir Keir for leader, tweeted: “It has been a privilege to be in the Shadow Cabinet and [I’m] proud of the work our team did on holding Government to account on Huawei, as well as supporting the sectors and self-employed people during the Covid-19 crisis.”

Mr Burgon said on Twitter: “As I’ve done since joining the party in the mid-1990s, I’ll continue to give my all to get a Labour Government.”

Ms Brabin was replaced by Jo Stevens, and Mr Burgon by David Lammy.

York Central MP Rachael Maskell also lost her position as Shadow Employment Rights Secretary, as did former Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, Hemworth’s Jon Trickett.

The moves will be seen as an attempt to unite a fractured party, bringing back some names from the party’s recent past while holding onto some who excelled under Mr Corbyn.

Sir Keir said: “I’m proud to have appointed a Shadow Cabinet that showcases the breadth, depth and talents of the Labour Party.

“This is a new team that will be relentlessly focused on acting in the national interest to respond to the coronavirus pandemic and rebuilding Labour so that it can win the next election.”

The full Shadow Cabinet is:

– Keir Starmer, Leader of the Opposition

– Angela Rayner, Deputy Leader and Chair of the Labour Party

– Anneliese Dodds, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer

– Lisa Nandy, Shadow Foreign Secretary

– Nick Thomas-Symonds, Shadow Home Secretary

– Rachel Reeves, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

– David Lammy, Shadow Justice Secretary

– John Healey, Shadow Defence Secretary

– Ed Miliband, Shadow Business, Energy and Industrial Secretary

– Emily Thornberry, Shadow International Trade Secretary

– Jonathan Reynolds, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary

– Jonathan Ashworth, Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

– Rebecca Long-Bailey, Shadow Education Secretary

– Jo Stevens, Shadow Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

– Bridget Philipson, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury

– Luke Pollard, Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary

– Steve Reed, Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary

– Thangam Debbonaire, Shadow Housing Secretary

– Jim McMahon, Shadow Transport Secretary

– Preet Kaur Gill, Shadow International Development Secretary

– Louise Haigh, Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary (interim while Tony Lloyd is in hospital being treated for coronavirus)

– Ian Murray, Shadow Scotland Secretary

– Nia Griffith, Shadow Wales Secretary

– Marsha de Cordova, Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary

– Andy McDonald, Shadow Employment Rights and Protections Secretary

– Rosena Allin-Khan, Shadow Minister for Mental Health

– Cat Smith, Shadow Minister for Young People and Voter Engagement

– Lord Falconer, Shadow Attorney General

– Valerie Vaz, Shadow Leader of the House

– Nick Brown, Opposition Chief Whip

– Baroness Smith, Shadow Leader of the Lords

– Lord McAvoy, Lords’ Opposition Chief Whip

Ed Miliband returns to Labour frontbench in Keir Starmer's reshuffle