Rebecca Long-Bailey appointed Shadow Education Secretary – Sector Response

Congratulations to Rebecca Long-Bailey (@RLong_Bailey) on her appointment as @UKLabour Shadow Education Secretary 

Keir Starmer has today (6 Apr) appointed his new Shadow Cabinet.

This is a gender-balanced Shadow Cabinet, with 17 women and 15 men. It has seven BAME members.

Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union; said:

“Congratulations to Rebecca Long-Bailey on being appointed as Shadow Education Secretary. At this time of national crisis it will be important for the official opposition to work with the Government and to hold Ministers to account to ensure that education professionals and children and young people are protected in these immensely difficult times. 

‘We look forward to working with the Shadow Education Secretary and politicians from across the political spectrum on fashioning the type of education service that will be fit for the twenty first century and after Covid-19. We can’t go back to an ‘exam factories’ view of education, with schools and colleges reeling from cut after cut, teachers, leaders and support staff feeling undervalued and the life chances of over 4 million children blighted by their being trapped in poverty”.

David Hughes, Chief Executive, AoC said:

“Congratulations to Rebecca Long-Bailey in her new role as shadow Education Secretary. I am looking forward to working with her to support young people and adults to access the learning and training they need in colleges. I know that she recognises the unique role that colleges play in their communities and in the labour market. Education is central to tackling the huge issues of the day, from the NHS, reducing poverty to creating a sustainable and green future, colleges stand ready to work together to transform lives for the better.

“The current crisis has brought the best out of colleges which are doing so much to support their students and their communities, but they now need the long term investment which will help them thrive. Thriving colleges are needed for the future more than ever before to support the people, businesses and communities which will have been damaged during this crisis. They are also vital players in the wider education system which I know the Labour party wants to develop.”

Delighted to be handing over the shadow education brief to @RLong_Bailey who is a brilliant friend and colleague – Labour’s National Education Service is in safe hands.???

— Angela Rayner MP ? (@AngelaRayner) April 6, 2020

2. Never has there been a more important time to fight for a properly funded, accountable, public education service, free at the point of use, from cradle to grave so that all our aspirations can be realised. Social mobility is meaningless if we don’t all rise together.

— Rebecca Long-Bailey (@RLong_Bailey) April 6, 2020

 The positions in the Shadow Cabinet

Proud to have appointed a Shadow Cabinet that showcases the breadth, depth & talents of our party.

We will be relentlessly focused on acting in the national interest to respond to coronavirus & on rebuilding Labour so that it can win the next election. https://t.co/NYpYqdEZZH

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) April 6, 2020

I’m pleased that @Keir_Starmer has asked me to continue in my shadow cabinet role as Shadow Minister for Young People and Voter Engagement. pic.twitter.com/Gb9S8xUNt6

— Cat Smith (@CatSmithMP) April 6, 2020

• Tracy Brabin
• Richard Burgon
• Dawn Butler
• Dan Carden
• Baroness Shami Chakrabarti
• Peter Dowd
• Barry Gardiner
• Margaret Greenwood
• Andrew Gwynne
• Barbara Keeley
• Ian Lavery
• Rachael Maskell
• Christina Rees
• Jon Trickett