Tugendhat replaces Patel in Tory reshuffle
Tom Tugendhat has been handed a promotion to the Conservative front bench as Kemi Badenoch reshuffles her shadow cabinet.
Ahead of the return to parliament on Tuesday, it was announced that Tugendhat, the former security minister, had been appointed to Badenoch’s top team as shadow foreign secretary.
It means the former Home Secretary Priti Patel will be demoted as she takes on an “international role” to build alliances between the Conservatives and other centre-right parties across the world.
Patel also said her new role would give her “greater freedom” to represent her Witham constituency.
Badenoch said Patel had been “exceptionally loyal, hard-working and supportive during a very difficult period for the party”.
A source close to Badenoch meanwhile said that Tugendhat was given the “good news” when he was talking to Taiwanese officials about threats posed by China.
The former security minister has long been a staunch critic of governments in Russia, Iran and China. He was security minister in the Conservative government between 2022 and 2024.
In an opinion article for Morning Wire in October, he said a parliamentary spy scandal involving the failed prosecution of Chris Cash and Christopher Berry showed that the government’s “evident fear of annoying Beijing shows we have reached the point where Whitehall believes Britain cannot sustain its own economy or defend its own interests without outside help”.
Reshuffle underway
A shadow cabinet reshuffle was triggered by James Cleverly’s resignation on Saturday night when he announced his intention to stand as a candidate for London mayor.
Cleverly, who was the shadow housing and communities secretary, will still have to win the Conservatives’ nomination in London. The Conservatives have not yet announced a replacement for Cleverly.
It was also revealed on Monday that Stuart Andrew, the shadow health secretary, would leave his post. A replacement for Claire Coutinho, who is due to take maternity leave, could also be confirmed in a matter of days, the Telegraph reported.
The change of guard on the opposition frontbench marks an effort by Badenoch to boost public support.
Some political strategists have predicted that Andy Burnham could call an election within months in a bid to shore up his political mandate.
It was reported on the weekend that Badenoch has written to the Cabinet Secretary, Antonia Romeo, to get early access talks to Whitehall before a potential vote. Opposition leaders are normally able to speak to government officials about 12 months before an election is due.
Morning Wire/Freshwater Strategy polling shows that the Conservatives are level with the Labour Party on 23 per cent of the voter share, compared to 26 per cent for Reform UK.
Kemi Badenoch is one of the most popular politicians with a net approval rating of four, compared to -20 for Nigel Farage. Burnham is on a rating of 12.