A mini reshuffle of Labour’s shadow team following the party’s election defeat has not affected its education line-up.
Acting Labour leader Harriet Harman, who became party leader following Ed Miliband’s resignation on Friday, made minor changes to the shadow cabinet following the defeat of key politicians.
But she announced on Monday that Tristram Hunt would remain as shadow education secretary, despite rumours that he may make a bid for the party leadership.
A Labour spokesperson told Schools Week that the rest of Mr Hunt’s team will also remain in place.
Cardiff West MP and former teacher Kevin Brennan will continue as shadow schools minister, while Yvonne Fovargue, the MP for Makerfield, will retain responsibility for further education and skills as shadow education minister.
Birmingham Selly Oak MP Steve McCable also remains in the team, as does Baroness Hughes of Stretford, who served as a children’s minister in the governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and former Unison policy and public affairs director Baroness Jones of Whitchurch.
Mr Hunt hinted at a leadership run when he told Sky News that he wanted to be “one of those voices” involved in reshaping the party following its disappointing performance at the polls.
He said: “We are in a really deep hole and we need to pull together.
“I do want to be one of those voices but it’s more than about just leadership, it’s about how the party’s led and the political philosophy behind it.”
He said Labour was “on the side of the underprivileged, on the side of the NHS, on the side of a fantastic state education system”, but also on the side of “those families who want to shop at John Lewis and go on holiday and build their extension”.
If Mr Hunt does run, he will be up against declared contenders Chuka Umunna, the shadow business secretary and Liz Kendall, the shadow care minister. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper was said to be planning an announcement as Schools Week went to press.
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