Labour reshuffle 'moving party North rather than centre-right', says Lisa Nandy

The Wigan MP has been moved from Shadow Foreign Secretary to shadow levelling up secretary in the reshuffle, while Yorkshire's Yvette Cooper has become Shadow Home Secretary and Louise Haigh has moved from Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to become Shadow Transport Secretary.

Asked on Sky News if Labour is moving to the centre-right politically, Ms Nandy said: “We’re moving North; left or right, you can keep that debate. We’re going out into the country and we’re going to start delivering for people in towns, villages and cities that have been completely and utterly abandoned by the political system.

“You go to Grimsby, you go to Barnsley, you go to Aberdeen, you will find proud communities that have a contribution to make.

“But so often they are held back, not by the skills of their young people, not by the abilities in those communities, not by their own ambition, but by a national Government that isn’t investing in the infrastructure that would bring good jobs.”

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Ms Nandy said her role change “felt a little like coming home”.

Asked if her new job felt like a demotion, Ms Nandy told BBC Breakfast: “It felt a little like coming home, to be honest.

“For the entire time I’ve been in Parliament, for the last 11 years, I’ve been fighting for politicians of all political parties to take seriously the fact that there are people across this country who have watched good jobs and investment leave our communities.

“That we have got a level of ambition that just isn’t matched by politicians of any political party, certainly not this one, for our futures for our young people, for our towns, and for our villages.

“Finally I can say that that is going to change and I am going to make it my mission to bring Labour home to people and to deliver on promises that the Government simply isn’t capable of doing.”

Read more:

New roles for Yorkshire MPs in Labour reshuffle

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